--and where it is, there can be modalities beyond symptom-alleviating medications and supplements that can be useful.

The most obvious situation is in cases of compressive or entrapment neuropathy, in which physical therapy, exercise, and even surgery may help to reduce the pressure on nerves and help them attain better functioning. Most spinal surgeries, for example, are in the end interventions to free compressed nerves.

Some people have also reported good results with the Rebuiler system, Anodyne therpay, cold laser therapy, even hyperbaric oxygen therapy. These interventions, though, tend to help some and not others, depending on how extensive/systemic the percipitating cause is.

Nerve damage can results from so many different conditions, whether secondary to other conditons, such as impaired glucose regulation or autoimmunity, or primarily, such as through trauma, that it's difficult to make many blanket statements about treatments. Even nerve regeneration research has been very hit or miss--again, it seems to help in some causative situations more than in others.

This is why I think it is important to go through the often long investigations to find a cause for one's neural symptoms--if one can be found; this CAN have an effect on how to combat them. Too many doctors, though, are not sophisticated enough in these areas to do the work, and so a lot of people end up falsely diagnosed or un-diagnosed. For instance, how many neurologists know to check for gluten problems, which can cause neuropathy (not just digestive symptoms)? How many know there are tests for antiboides specific to peripheral nerve (not just anti-nuclear antibodies)? How many will extensively question the possibility of toxic exposure? It seems too many, if spinal MRI's don't reveal extensive compression, and if glucose and B12 tests come back OK, just shrug their shoulders, and prescribe an anti-epileptic. I'm not saying such meds don't have their symptom-relieving places, but it behooves all of us to be proactive patients with pointed questions, keep our test results, do the research, and search out the most knowledgable and complete doctors we can.