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Step 1
Consult a physician who will direct you as to whether you will need in-patient or outpatient treatment. Severe cellulitis will require intravenous (IV) treatment in a hospital, while less serious cases can be treated at home with an oral antibiotic regimen.
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Step 2
Document with your doctor all the medications you taking (both prescription and over-the-counter) as well as any known drug allergies prior to having antibiotics prescribed. The physician will then prescribe the antibiotic most suitable for your particular health history.
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Step 3
Obtain a prescription for an antibiotic proven effective against group A streptococci and staphylococcus aureus, since these are the bacteria most commonly associated with cellulitis. Many physicians prescribe penicillinase-resistant synthetic penicillin or a cephalosporin to treat mild to moderate cellulitis.
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Step 4
Treat your condition with the antibiotic strictly as it is prescribed by your physician. Take the accurate dosage each day. For example, the general adult prescription of flucloxacillin, erythromycin, or clarithromycin is 500 milligrams four times a day.
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Step 5
Complete your entire prescribed regimen of antibiotics, even if your condition seems to be getting better. The typical duration is seven to 10 days of an oral antibiotic. See your physician if your condition does not clear up following the completion of your regimen.
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Step 6
Check with your doctor if cellulitis does not clear with the first round of oral antibiotics. Occasionally a first-generation long-acting cephalosporin administered intravenously or by an intramuscular injection will be used to treat more severe or enduring outpatient cases of cellulitis.
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Step 7
Speak with your physician about using long-term antibiotic treatment as suppressive therapy if you experience frequent episodes of cellulitis. Discuss whether the benefits of such treatment outweigh the risk of your body developing a resistance to the antibiotic.
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Step 8
Seek emergency medical treatment if, at any time before or during your antibiotic treatment, you experience a fever, a large area of red, inflamed or radically darkened skin, numbness or tingling in the area or if you develop an affected area near the eyes or behind the ears.
