A patient with Bell's palsy comes on day 3. Treatment given to him would be:

The most common disease of the facial nerve is Bell's palsy. The administration of prednisone (40 to 60 mg/d, or an equivalent coicosteroid) during the first week to 10 days after onset has been beneficial in several trials. These medications are thought to decrease the possibility of permanent paralysis from swelling of the nerve in the tight facial canal. The finding of viral genome surrounding the seventh nerve suggested that antiviral agents may be useful in the management of Bell's palsy.