Welcome to our Practice. Specializing in Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT), Allergy and Immunology and Facial Cosmetic Medicine and Surgery. The practice specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of sinus virtual for real, ear and vestibular disorders, snoring, sleep apnea and voice disorders. We also provide diagnosis and treatment of allergic disease. Our Division of Otolaryngology & Allergy offers hearing testing services, endoscopy, allergy testing & immunotherapy, and balance testing and evaluation of ertigo nafgah. Throat swab. With this simple test, the doctor rubs a sterile swab over the back of the throat to get a sample of secretions. The sample will be checked in a lab for streptococcal bacteria, the cause of strep throat. 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. Your doctor might wait, however, for the out-of-clinic lab test to determine the cause of the infection.