You just happen to be in my area of expertise. Not because I am a doctor, but because I have/had exactly what you have. What you have is a bulging disc. Apparently the disc hasn't torn completely through or you wouldn't be able to get out of bed. Big difference in bulging and herniated. Bulging presses on the nerve, while a herniated disc, all the inside gooey stuff in the disc has torn through the outer fibrous material and is spewing all out into your spine. Surgery is the only option for that. However, doesn't sound like you have that if you can still get around. Most likely it's just a bulging disc pressing on your sciatic nerve.
Derek Flint said it all. It sucks, and usually surgery does more harm than good. And the worst part is, when your swelling goes down, if you move a certain way your back can get thrown out at any time. Now, THAT'S the worst pain, way worse than the sciatica you have now. Two Mondays ago that happened to me and I was down and out for a week at least.
For now, I'd say get you something a little stronger than Advil, pal. You're going to have to lay off the weightlifting, hockey, etc. to let this thing heal and get swelling to go down. Don't make the same mistake I did.
Now, I told you all this doom and gloom to tell you the best solution I've come up with. After my back recovered last week, I had to find a healing method. Doctors will tell you all kinds of sh1t to make you come back and spend your money with them. I'm tried it all, decompression therapy, chiropractic, epidural shots, all of it except for surgery. And I've heard HORROR stories about back surgeries for disc correction.
My method of relief:
1) Hang up side down by your legs for 3 sets of 30-45 seconds, every 2-3 days. You can do this on any monkey bars, swing set, etc. Use towels under your knees for comfort. This helps me TREMENDOUSLY. Do it, thank me later.
2) Daily stretches, preferably in the mornings after you start do the hanging exercise above.
3) Ice in small increments, no longer than 10 min. a night. If you go 20 min. or longer, you run the risk of spasms.
4) Advil when needed, although in SMALL doses. No more than 2 at a time, because of the side effects of frequent ibuprofen ingestion.
5) Low impact activity. You can progress if whatever you're doing isn't hurting.
6) Losing weight helped me. Went from 200 lbs. to 185 lbs.
Big thing is to get the thing healed, then slowly start strengthening yourself.
