A method of treating a patient having a nerve injury or spinal cord injury or spinal cord lesions, or disease or any pathology that has compromised an autonomic nervous system of a patient to stimulate regeneration or reactivation of the autonomic nervous system comprises the steps of: treating the patient with injured or damaged nerves activating an acoustic shock wave generator or source to emit acoustic shock waves from a shock wave head and administering an effective exposure of acoustic shock waves in a pulse or wave pattern having a low energy density less than 1.0 mJ/mm2 per shock wave directly onto a treatment zone in a region extending from the medulla oblongata in the lower brain stem to the lower end of the spinal cord.
