Cold Pack
In most cases of musculoskeletal pain, the most expedient non-medication treatment is an Ice Pack or Cold Pack. Sciatica is not a musculoskeletal injury, but just the same, applying a cold pack to the painful area helps numb the nerves from the pain. If you have an ice pack at home, simply put ice in it and apply it to wherever it hurts. The recommended length of application is 20 minutes at a time, and then you give the area respite from the cold before the cold becomes uncomfortable. Do this cold pack application for however many times in a day it is needed to relieve the pain. If you do not have an ice pack or cold pack at home, there are several options for making DIY cold packs. Get a plastic sandwich bag, sealable or open-top does not matter as long as you can close it, put ice in it, close it, and apply it to the painful area. It might help to wrap your cold pack in a towel to prevent water dripping (either from melted ice, if your plastic bag has a leak, or from the condensation that forms on the bag) and making a mess or slippery spot on the floor. If a plastic bag is not an option, chill a glass bottle or a flat metal object and press those onto the painful area. But really, an ice pack is so readily available. You would probably be spending less in the long-term, and getting much more out of it, if you just go to your local drug store and buy an ice pack.
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