Reducing the amount of swelling will have a direct impact on the amount of discomfort that is caused. The use of these medications has recently increased substantially. New preparations of these kinds of medications are being developed yearly and are having an increasingly beneficial effect for most people while simultaneously reducing the side effects that they cause. The original medication in this class of drugs is every day aspirin. While aspirin is still used as an anti-inflammatory medication its large number of side effects and less specific effect on inflammation and swelling makes its use less common today.
Prostaglandins are the primary mediators of inflammation and swelling.
While this sounds simple, prostaglandins also have other beneficial effects within the body, including protecting the lining of the stomach. The most common anti-inflammatories used today are ibuprofen and naproxen. These go by the trade names of Advil, Motrin IB, and Aleve. These medications are sold over the counter at lower than prescription levels and are sold primarily for their pain relieving effect. At these doses they can not be assumed to have anti-inflammatory effects.