When you’re sick, listen to your mother: go see your doctor and find out what illness you have and how to get better. If you’re diagnosed with a bacterial infection, your doctor can provide a host of treatment options, which may include antibiotics.
To treat a bacterial illness such as sinusitis or an ear infection, your doctor might prescribe a regimen of antibiotics to kill the bacteria and help you feel better faster. Antibiotics come in several dosing schedules ranging from a single dose, to twice a day up to multiple doses a day for more than a week. You may be tempted to ask your doctor for a medication with the fewest number of doses, but there are other factors your doctor may consider.
When your doctor prescribes an antibiotic, he or she will consider the drug’s efficacy in treating the specific infection and the potential side effects to determine the best medicine for you. Among the commonly prescribed antibiotics are cephalosporins, some of which are effective against sinusitis, skin infections, ear infections and other bacterial infections, and are generally well-tolerated.
Your doctor may determine that single-dose...