Thanks for clarifying that Glenntaj.

It took two years for the PN to disapear in my hands. I had a cervical fusion in 2004; PN came on 6 months after that. Had another cervical fusion in Sept. 2006; PN completely went away in hands. The nerve damage or pain was radiculopathy NOT PN prior to the first fusion. I believe once the nerves were freed up, it is as you say, the brain did not know how to interpet the new signals and I may have had "windup" and the peripheral nerves were on fire due to the decompression of the spinal nerves. But in any case, it did heal and stop. So, yes, a sign of more burning CAN also be a sign of healing and not worsening.

I am just glad you made the distinction between radiculopathy and peripheral neuropathy. They are two different processes; both causing neuropathic pain.