Find the problem and fix it; your motor should be fine.

These are nightmare problems because it is either fuel related (lean-out) or ignition (over-advanced). You can definitely "lean-out" one cylinder; damaging ignition issues would affect random cylinders.

This type of stuff ruined my entire season last year. I burned up plugs (completely destroyed)--sometimes more than one in about 10 different track seeions last year. Turned out to be a part in the distributor.