Medication to reduce inflammation. Symptoms of inflammation include pain, redness, swelling, and warmth. Muscles and joints can be affected by inflammation, as occurs with muscle strains and various types of arthritis. Anti-inflammatory medications can either be prescription or non-prescription. Non-prescription anti-inflammatory medications include aspirin and some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, others), or naproxen sodium (Aleve).