Remember this is an auto immune system condition. I believe prednisone addresses that whereas a pain killer just does that and no more it masques the pain.
I may be wrong so check with your Dr.

Please read about the side effects of IBUprofen..... it destroys red blood cells faster than your body can make them. I was take Ibuprofen for several weeks for a knww problem and I became anemic. Check out the other pain killers as well. They are all harmful.

We were discussing a very low dose ( 1-2 mg.) of prednisone. With such a low dose, his patients have been able to take prednisone for 20-30 years.
From his experience, the prednisone was safer than OTC medications.