a few days a go i woke up and my throat really hurt it was swollen and red and looked like it had whiteness on it. that was the only day it hurt its been maybe 4 days after and all these past days it hasnbt really hurt at all ive been doing my normal everyday activites.. i dont feel tired or feverish in fact i dont have a fever ive checked. Ive been to the doctor almost every other month for tonsillitis im supposed to be getting my tonsils taken out sometime soon we havent gone to the doctor recently.. but I really dont want to go to the doctor again for them to tell me yet one more time its not strep its just another case of tonsilities... but why hasnt the swelling gone down in my throat? it still looks terrible and its getting me nervous, but whenever i go to the doctor for tonsillitis they barely ever give me antibiotics anyway.. what should i do?

also is there anyway when you go to the doctor that you can ask for an alternate strep test instead of the throat culture? ive heard of something called a throat washout..