I had compression with bulging disc after a similar incident to yours. Many weeks of PT and chiro years later to try and deal with pain. Then a PT helped more. My view is; after watching many fellow back sufferers come out of the wood work (it seems when you get a condition you start to meet lots of others). It seemed to me that most of the surgery people did worse, with a few that had a great experience. But the numbers weighed heavier toward 'Not Good" outcomes over long term.
My doctor put me on traction to decompress. I could tell it worked so I got my own decompression device. An inversion table has kept my sciatica down. Weigh loss is important, if you have a big tummy it works against you. Anyway, now a days I only get some warning pain in my foot to remind me to get on the table and do some traction.