What is the best anti inflammatory by prescription to use with the least side effects?

I usually recommend my patients start with ibuprofen - this is marketed in the US as Advil or Motrin and in the UK as Brufen. Start with the dosage on the package, but you can safely work up until you are taking an 800 mg dosage three times a day (every 8 hours). The important thing about anti-inflammatory medications is that they are hard on the stomach - if you start having heartburn or acid reflux when you try to increase the dosage, you've hit the maximum your body will tolerate.

If ibuprofen does not work for you, switch to naproxen - US brand is Aleve; UK brand is Feminx Ultra - you can safely take 500 mg twice a day. Again, you need to watch the stomach upset.