Kathy McFarlane: I was severely congested. Had a lot of pressure, in my head, nose runny, eyes runny and itchy.

Jennifer Matthews: This was Kathy McFarlane's problem -- swollen tissues inside her nose made it hard to breathe. Linda Potter knows that feeling too.

Linda Potter: All of it drains downs into my chest, instead of being able to blow my nose.

Jennifer Matthews: Linda hopes that will change. Surgeon Rajiv Pandit uses a powerful laser to shrink nasal tissues called turbinates.

Rajiv Pandit: This is the tip that is going to be placed in the nose. The idea is to vaporize some of this tissue as well as to cause a heat injury that, over several weeks, will reduce the size of the turbinate through the body's own natural healing process.

Jennifer Matthews: The procedure called laser sub-mucosal resection takes about 15 minutes, and results come quickly.

Rajiv Pandit: People generally feel more alert both at home and on the job. People usually sleep better, so they're more refreshed.

Jennifer Matthews: Doctor Pandit says that's the case in about 70% of his patients. Kathy had the surgery and finally has relief.

Kathy McFarlane: I have not had a single sinus infection since I had the laser turbinate surgery, so it's been a Godsend and an answer to many prayers.

Jennifer Matthews: This is Jennifer Matthews reporting.