I have never had such a mentally and physically debilitating injury as this bulging disc that caused painful sciatica. I thought that it was a injury that would last a week at the most a week, ending up lasting two years....

Don't panic hearing this! Everyone is different. Your duration could be much short. Anyway the only residual effects I have is stiffness in the affected leg in the morning. But I do exercise and stretch regularly.

Things that worked for me (in descending level of effectiveness):

1) Exercise - I exercise for one hour, three days a week. Ten minutes of that is stretching.

2) Lose weight - Less weight on a bulging disc makes a difference. I lost 30 pounds, pain can be a good motivator!

3) Eating healthy - I'm not perfect all the time, but healthy eating as a lifetime practice and maintaining a healthy weight gives your body the ability to repair damage.

4) Anti-depressants - Pain can take a toll on your mental stability. If you feel that you are getting depressed that can cause you stress and cause your body to tighten up and make your pain worse. There is no shame in seeking help, mental pain is real.

5) Physical Therapy - Learning the proper body mechanics to deal with your injury. Learn how to stretch properly to relieve the pressure on a bulging disc.

6) Epidural shot - A temporary fix, but a damn good one. If the pain is bad this can get you through the worse part. When I got a shot the pain relief lasted about three months.

What did not work for me (in descending level of worthlessness):

1) Herbal supplements: I'm not talking about vitamins. Herbal pain relief did nothing for me.

2) Chiropractic care: Went to two chiropractors, both endorsed highly. Neither did anything for me.

3) Doctor proscribed pain relief drugs: Made me feel dopy for 30 minutes and the pain returned. Your mileage may vary. Be careful that you do not get addicted to these pills, it can be very easy to do.

4) Massage: Felt relaxed after the treatment, which is a good, no long term effectiveness.

I hope this helps you. Just remember this, YOU WILL GET BETTER! I know that it does not seem like it based on the comments on forums like this. But you have to remember that most people go on with their lives when they get better and have no need to comments on pain forums when they feel better.

Vegan