When sciatica first strikes, cold packs can help numb the area and get you through the worst of the pain. Apply an ice pack to your lower back for 20 minutes at a time, two or three times a day.

Physical therapy (PT) can help relieve sciatica pain by reducing nerve compression, improving flexibility, and strengthening muscles. Physical therapists use various techniques to treat sciatica ...

Amazon If you deal with pain or discomfort from sciatica, you’re not alone. Up to 40% of people in the U.S. experience the condition at some point in their lives.

If you're not sure what that really is, Dulak says it's a compression or irritation of a sciatic nerve. They run from your lower back down through your butt and into each leg (see the graphic, below).

When sciatica first strikes, cold packs can help numb the area and get you through the worst of the pain. Apply an ice pack to your lower back for 20 minutes at a time, two or three times a day.