Your doctor will most likely start by giving you a physical exam that may involve checking your temperature; looking at your throat, ears, and nose with a lighted instrument; checking your neck for swollen glands (lymph nodes); and listening to your breathing with a stethoscope.
Your healthcare provider may also take a throat culture or do a rapid strep test by taking a swab from your throat to be checked for the bacteria Group A Strep (the cause of strep throat). Some clinics can get results right away while others need to send off the sample to a lab for testing.
If the rapid, in-clinic test comes back positive, then you almost certainly have a bacterial infection. If the test comes back negative, then you likely have a viral infection.
A blood test might be done to determine whether an infection is more likely caused by a bacterial or viral agent.
If your doctor suspects your sore throat is related to an allergy, you may be referred to an allergist for additional tests, or if you experience chronic or frequent sore throats you may be referred to an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat doctor).