I have sciatica. It’s a chronic condition that depends on my activity level. It is exacerbated by certain diet (drinking heavily) and certain medications (ciprofloxacin). I take ibuprofen for the pain and try to do the following:
1) Some kind of exercise where I am moving my body in different directions (raquetball is better than jogging).
2) Stretching! (VERY important). But DON’T stretch the hamstrings, this will make it worse. Instead, stretch the back by twisting carefully. Stretch the hip flexors.
3) Exercise the abdominals, including the transverse abdominals (the sides).
4) Get plenty of B-vitamins in my diet or via supplements, especially if I’m drinking (since alcohol leaches water soluble vitamins out of you).
This advice is based on my experience living with sciatica for several years. I’ve also discussed it with a room mate who is a licensed and practicing physical therapist and with a yoga instructor who focuses on sports performance and injury recovery. They both advised stretching and strength-building above all.
It flares up about once a month and usually goes away if I treat it carefully. Sometimes it will last as long as a week. Taking ibuprofen twice a day for two or three days will usually stop these long- flare-ups which seem to be looping in some kind of swelling feedback.
Note that there are many reasons for sciatica. It is a symptom, not a disease. So you should check that you don’t have a herniated disc or pinched nerve, etc..