MODEL RELEASED. Throat examination. Doctor using an illuminated magnifying glass and wooden spatula to examine a man's throat and tonsils. The spatula is used to depress the tongue; a light source in the hand-held magnifying glass illuminates the area under examination. This examination might take place during a routine check-up or if the patient had complained of a sore throat. Such pain in the back of the mouth is most often due to bacterial or viral infection of the tonsils or the pharynx. Infection may persist to involve the lymph nodes, which become tender and enlarged.