My tonsils are generally sore before the drainage starts. Unfortunately I was a strep kid, so I think my tonsils are just going to be sore any time I'm sick. But in general I blow my nose before clearing my palate... that second portion just gets what's already back there that isn't ejected out the nose.

If I just let it drain the illness lasts a lot longer. That's why I got over it in a few days instead of a couple weeks.