I have a herniated L4-L5 and L5-S1. Walking, maintaining a very tight weight range (BMI 21-22) and doing core targeting yoga have helped me avoid injections. I also use muscle relaxants, massage therapy, epsom salt baths and epsom salt lotion (homemade) to help alleviate secondary pain and soreness. There are days when the pain is completely gone and there are days when I can’t shake it. On those days I basically try to put my body into a supportive position utilizing my core to take pressure off the nerves. Kind of like dressage in a chair 
In May of 2013, I jumped my gelding for the first time in a few months and was sore the next day. I assumed it was muscle tightness and would go away after a few days. Fast forward a few months, the left side of my back hadn’t improved and my chiro diagnosed me with SI dysfunction. Despite treatment, I woke up a month later with sciatic pain which NOTHING touched. I tried chiro and drugs and then one of my co-workers (I am a LMT) insisted I let her try out some new techniques she had learned at a class for treating sciatica. After the soreness from the massage itself went away, I was about 50% better. After 2 or 3 more is was about 90% better with just occasional jolts down my leg. I now rarely have nerve pain and it is extremely mild when I do. The point of my long winded post is to suggest you check out massage. It is pretty amazing what pissed off muscles can do. Fair warning-- if you try massage and it is a muscle problem, the massage is going to hurt. A lot.
