0:00:22 > 0:00:24'He's Dr Chris.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27'He's Dr Xand.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30'And yes, we're twins.'
0:00:30 > 0:00:33Do you know how brilliant your body really is?
0:00:33 > 0:00:36My finger's got yellow pus in it.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38- Well, we're going to show you. - Yay!
0:00:38 > 0:00:42In this series we'll be pushing our bodies to their limits...
0:00:42 > 0:00:44I like the sound of this.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47..by doing extraordinary experiments on each other.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50- This is my sick. - To uncover what goes on inside...
0:00:50 > 0:00:53Ugh! that just came out of my ear.
0:00:53 > 0:00:54..and out.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56Wow, that's amazing!
0:00:56 > 0:00:59From the bizarre...to the incredible.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01So now I'm seeing things.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03It's time to find out what you're made of.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Chris? Chris? Chris?
0:01:08 > 0:01:11- Coming up...- on Operation Ouch!
0:01:13 > 0:01:17We blend up a liver to show you something amazing.
0:01:17 > 0:01:18- Oh, wow!- Oh!
0:01:18 > 0:01:21What on earth is going on here?
0:01:21 > 0:01:23You'll find out soon, Xand.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26And I'm on a mission to get your snot.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28Oh, there's a couple of nice ones on there!
0:01:28 > 0:01:31But now...
0:01:31 > 0:01:33Our first patient was expecting a normal day.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36And now they've ended up in accident and emergency.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38Let's see him get fixed.
0:01:38 > 0:01:42This is accident and emergency in Manchester,
0:01:42 > 0:01:44the place for all medical mishaps and...
0:01:44 > 0:01:47What on earth's happened here?
0:01:47 > 0:01:49Has he superglued his hands to his nose?
0:01:49 > 0:01:51No, Xand. this is eight-year-old Max
0:01:51 > 0:01:53and the problem is not with his nose.
0:01:54 > 0:01:59A few minutes ago, I realised that my lip was all swollen.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02- Did he say he had a swollen lip? - Yes, look.
0:02:02 > 0:02:07Oh, it is swollen! But why are you holding it?
0:02:07 > 0:02:10When it touches my teeth it hurts.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13It hurts if it touches your teeth, got it.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16So how did Max's lip end up so large?
0:02:16 > 0:02:19Well, it's all a bit of a mystery.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24Max was having a normal day. He'd been to school, like normal.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27And then afterwards he'd been swimming, like normal.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31And then he came home, had one of his favourite meals.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33Mm, meat pie. Yummy.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36Then he sat down to watch his favourite cooking show.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38This is making me hungry.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40But just as they were getting to dessert,
0:02:40 > 0:02:42Max felt something funny going on with his lip.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44It started to tingle...
0:02:44 > 0:02:46and then it grew...
0:02:46 > 0:02:48and it grew...
0:02:48 > 0:02:50- and it grew. - Ouch!
0:02:50 > 0:02:54It really stung when it started going really big.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57I bet! And with such strange swelling,
0:02:57 > 0:03:01let's open the case of Max's mystery mammoth mouth.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Has he had any allergic reactions in the past?
0:03:04 > 0:03:07Yes. He's got allergies to peanuts and white fish.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10OK, and he's not had any nuts or anything near him?
0:03:12 > 0:03:15So Max doesn't think he's eaten nuts or white fish,
0:03:15 > 0:03:16which he's allergic to.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19But with symptoms like this, he's taking a medicine called
0:03:19 > 0:03:23antihistamine, just in case it is an allergic reaction.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27Well, here's someone who can bust that lumpy lip.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29It's Dr Sara Syed.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32So was it sore? Was it tingly?
0:03:32 > 0:03:36- It was stinging.- It was stinging, was it?- Yeah.- OK.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39It didn't feel like your throat was getting tight or anything?
0:03:39 > 0:03:41- No.- No.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Dr Sara needs to give Max a thorough examination to find out
0:03:44 > 0:03:47whether or not he's having an allergic reaction.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49- Can you just say "ahh" for me? - Ahh.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52If he is, the biggest concern is
0:03:52 > 0:03:55that it could get worse and cause his throat to swell up,
0:03:55 > 0:03:57making it hard to breathe.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00- OK, is that sore at all?- No.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03OK, there's no swelling at the back of your throat, which is good.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07Luckily Max's throat and airways are clear, but what about his lip?
0:04:07 > 0:04:09Is it from an allergy?
0:04:09 > 0:04:13It looks like some form of allergic reaction, OK?
0:04:13 > 0:04:16Just with there being the swelling and this tingling,
0:04:16 > 0:04:19it kind of all fits in with that picture.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23The good news is that the antihistamine has started to work
0:04:23 > 0:04:27and another 20 minutes later, Max's lip is looking smaller.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30- How are you feeling?- Better.- Yeah?
0:04:30 > 0:04:32High five, antihistamine!
0:04:32 > 0:04:36What exactly has made him have that allergic reaction
0:04:36 > 0:04:39is a little bit of a mystery. It seems like his immune system's
0:04:39 > 0:04:42just responded quite strongly to something.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45It might be that Max has developed a new allergy.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47To try and find out,
0:04:47 > 0:04:50he'll return for an allergy test in a week's time.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53We'll be back later to find out how he gets on.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59- And now to our lab...- Whoa!
0:04:59 > 0:05:02..where we do incredible experiments...
0:05:02 > 0:05:04Oh, looks disgusting.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06..to show you how your body works.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09It's not pretty to look at but it is brilliant stuff.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13And today's lab is all about amazing enzymes.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15- Xand, your crackers.- I'm what?
0:05:15 > 0:05:19- Your crackers.- Chris, this is no time for personal insults.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22Get your crackers for the experiment.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25Oh... Sorry.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28Now, your body is full of loads of little proteins called enzymes,
0:05:28 > 0:05:31which help to break down the food you eat
0:05:31 > 0:05:34into chemicals your body can use.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38For example, this cracker is made of starch, which your body can't use,
0:05:38 > 0:05:42but in your spit you have an enzyme called amylase.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46Now, the amylase enzyme breaks down the starch into sugar,
0:05:46 > 0:05:48which your body can use.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51This bit of the experiment you can try at home.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53Get a cracker. Don't eat it.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55Simply chew it up
0:05:55 > 0:05:58and let it sit on your tongue and we'll see what happens.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03'These crackers are going to start tasting very different.'
0:06:13 > 0:06:15The savoury cracker is getting sweeter,
0:06:15 > 0:06:17because the amylase in the saliva
0:06:17 > 0:06:20is breaking down the starch into sugars, which are sweet.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23You've made a real mess.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27Why don't you try it and you'll notice the difference too?
0:06:27 > 0:06:29So what's going on?
0:06:29 > 0:06:32Well, the enzymes in our spit change the starch into sugar and
0:06:32 > 0:06:35you've got lots of other enzymes around your body, all changing
0:06:35 > 0:06:40substances from one thing to another, including in your liver.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43Now, this is an animal liver but it's very similar to a human one.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46This liver does loads of different jobs.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49It's a really important chemical factory that extracts all
0:06:49 > 0:06:53the nutrients from the foods you eat so that your body can use them.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57But when food breaks down, your body sometimes makes poisonous toxins.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00But don't worry, the enzymes in your liver make them safe.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04One example of a toxin produced by your body is hydrogen peroxide.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07Now hydrogen peroxide's actually used by hairdressers
0:07:07 > 0:07:09to bleach people's hair.
0:07:09 > 0:07:10Here we go, Xand.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12There is some hydrogen peroxide.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14Oh, great, are we going to do our hair?
0:07:14 > 0:07:17No, we're going to do an excitement on the liver to find out how it
0:07:17 > 0:07:20- breaks down poisonous hydrogen peroxide.- Of course we are.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22'So we're going to show you
0:07:22 > 0:07:25'how enzymes change a poison and make it safe.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30'Normally these processes take place inside the liver
0:07:30 > 0:07:33'but we need to see them in action, so we're cutting it up
0:07:33 > 0:07:36'and blending it and now all the enzymes are released
0:07:36 > 0:07:38'and what goes on inside the liver
0:07:38 > 0:07:42- 'will now happen on the outside for us all to see.'- Let's go.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46OK. You hold that.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49'So we're going to show you what happens when enzymes
0:07:49 > 0:07:52'in the liver break down hydrogen peroxide.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54'If this works it'll look pretty amazing.'
0:07:54 > 0:07:57- Oh, wow!- Oh!
0:07:57 > 0:07:59'All that frothing might look dangerous,
0:07:59 > 0:08:01'but it's actually the opposite.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04'The liver enzymes are turning the dangerous hydrogen peroxide
0:08:04 > 0:08:07'into harmless oxygen and water.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09Oh, it's really good, there you go.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11OK, now swirl it around a bit.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14So all the bubbles in that foam are bubbles of oxygen.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17We've put the liver in there and the enzymes in the liver are
0:08:17 > 0:08:19detoxifying the hydrogen peroxide,
0:08:19 > 0:08:21turning it into water and oxygen.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24- Can we prove it's oxygen? - Of course we can prove it's oxygen.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27'Now, things don't burn without oxygen,
0:08:27 > 0:08:30'so let's see if there is oxygen present in these bubbles.'
0:08:30 > 0:08:33So this is one of our special scientific tapers,
0:08:33 > 0:08:35which as you can see is glowing, but not on fire.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37When I put it in the oxygen...
0:08:38 > 0:08:40Whoa, that's really good! Whoa!
0:08:42 > 0:08:46The smouldering taper is set on fire by the oxygen that's been created.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49This shows that the enzymes in the liver have turned the
0:08:49 > 0:08:53dangerous hydrogen peroxide into harmless water and oxygen.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56This is exactly the same chemical reaction that occurs
0:08:56 > 0:09:00inside your liver. It cleans up the toxic chemicals and makes them safe.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02Can I have my hair done now?
0:09:06 > 0:09:09- Nice to be out and about. - Walking to the park, seeing friends.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12But there are always dangers lurking on the street
0:09:12 > 0:09:14and I'm not just talking about Xand.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17I'm talking about street danger.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22For example, there could be a car coming around this corner.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25HORN SOUNDS Stop! I've got you covered, Chris.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29There could be broken glass in the street.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32Yep, already noticed and avoided. On we go.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34And finally, there's the danger
0:09:34 > 0:09:37of unidentified flying objects falling out of the sky.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40Honestly Chris, I think that is extremely unlikely.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Oww! Oh.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46Oh, look, a rogue pineapple's
0:09:46 > 0:09:49just fallen out of the sky and onto Xand's foot.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53- Admittedly, that was very unlikely. - Unlikely and painful.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55It's also a minor injury.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01So what should you do if you bruise your foot?
0:10:18 > 0:10:21The correct answer is C.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25So to treat a bruised foot, you just do something very simple.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28Put something cold on it to relieve the pain and reduce the swelling.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30- How's that?- That's great.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34- Good enough to play football on? - Oh, we forgot the football. Bother.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37How does he do that?
0:10:37 > 0:10:40So, to treat a bruised foot, put something cold on it,
0:10:40 > 0:10:43but if you're worried, tell an adult.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48Time to see how Max is getting on.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51Let's head back to accident and emergency.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55Back in Manchester, eight-year-old Max has returned to hospital
0:10:55 > 0:10:59for an allergy test after his lip swelled up like this.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01Wow! It was a whopper!
0:11:01 > 0:11:03Max had been to school,
0:11:03 > 0:11:05then swimming and then had dinner at home.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11And all of a sudden his lip started to swell up like a big balloon.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14So this is what you look like normally.
0:11:14 > 0:11:19But the cause of his mega mouth is still a bit of a mystery.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21Max is allergic to peanuts and white fish,
0:11:21 > 0:11:24but he hadn't eaten either of those things that day.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27However, Max has a theory.
0:11:27 > 0:11:28Uh-oh, Mum's in trouble!
0:11:28 > 0:11:33Mum said she was eating nuts and she touched me on my face.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37I might have to hold my hands up to that cos we do eat nuts at home.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39But we do keep them out of his way.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Well, it could be his mum but it could also be something new.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48Enter allergy specialist nurse Sarah Allatt.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50And gosh, she's a terrible speller.
0:11:50 > 0:11:55No, Xand, she's putting a variety of allergy samples onto Max's arm
0:11:55 > 0:11:57to see which ones get a reaction.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00And it's not just food types.
0:12:00 > 0:12:01This is dog.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05She's also testing for things in the environment, including dogs,
0:12:05 > 0:12:09- cats, grass and tree pollen. - All done.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11Now Max just has to wait.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14The best thing to do if it itches is to blow.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17It takes 15 minutes for the reaction to show up.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20A white bump shows there's an allergy.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22Wow, we've certainly got a few there.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26So our tests today have said, yes,
0:12:26 > 0:12:28you're still allergic to white fish and peanuts,
0:12:28 > 0:12:32but what we've also learnt today is that you are allergic to cats.
0:12:32 > 0:12:37So was Max playing with cats on the day his lip swelled up? No.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39And you are allergic to grass.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42Oh, was he roaming around like I do when I'm allowed?
0:12:42 > 0:12:44No, Xand, he wasn't.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48So we're still none the wiser about why his lip grew so big.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51- Well, Max still has his theory. - I think it was Mum.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57- Your mum? That's nuts. - Well, we'll never know.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00- You can put your arm away now, Max. - Bye.- BOTH: Bye.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07Still to come, we show you how your body heals a sprain.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09I go on a snot mission.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11Can we get a sample of your snot?
0:13:13 > 0:13:17And his nose may look fine but Oscar needs it to be fixed.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19It felt like it just went on the side.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26Did you know that you lose
0:13:26 > 0:13:28about 90 hairs every single day?
0:13:28 > 0:13:32But luckily you've got between 90 and 140,000 hairs
0:13:32 > 0:13:34on your head, so you can afford to lose a few.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37Wow, that's amazing. And so is this.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40An ordinary country lane.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42And an ordinary car.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45Looks like this guy's having a bit of engine trouble.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48Poor chap. He's going to need a push.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51Well, luckily, this lady is around to help.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55- You look like you need a hand. - She's going to push that car?
0:13:55 > 0:13:59That is amazing Chris! It's a massive four by four.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02It's way more amazing than that, Xand. Check this out.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10This is Anastasia and her hair is so strong...
0:14:11 > 0:14:13..she can, yes, even pull a car with it.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16Crazy, I know.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20Anastasia holds the world record for hanging weight from her hair,
0:14:20 > 0:14:23a hair raising 53.4 kilograms -
0:14:23 > 0:14:26that's the equivalent of two average seven-year-olds
0:14:26 > 0:14:28hanging directly from her hair.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32So how does she do it?
0:14:35 > 0:14:38Well, human hair contains keratin.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42It's an incredibly strong protein.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46So tough, in fact, it's the same thing a rhinoceros horn is made of.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50Anastasia has learned to use the strength of her hair
0:14:50 > 0:14:53to pull massive cars like this.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55And it takes a lot of preparation.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59It takes 45 minutes. It takes two guys to plait the hair like a rope.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04Turning her hair into a rope ensures the weight of the car is
0:15:04 > 0:15:08evenly distributed across her head, so that no hair is pulled out.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12But hair pulling is still an uncomfortable experience,
0:15:12 > 0:15:15so Anastasia has trained herself to cope with the pain.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18I can think of better ways of dealing with pain.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21Yeah, like when you eat a cold ice cream and you get a brain freeze.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24Not exactly, Xand. She's got a real skill.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26Now that's amazing.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33Your body can need mending in all sorts of ways
0:15:33 > 0:15:37and we're going to meet some special teams that are trained to fix you.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40Let me show you my ear.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43Never put anything in your ear, by the way,
0:15:43 > 0:15:45unless you're a doctor like me.
0:15:45 > 0:15:46There is my ear drum.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49It vibrates so we can hear sounds.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52On my ear drum, you can see some old scars,
0:15:52 > 0:15:55because it burst because of infection when I was younger.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58Now, my ear drum works perfectly fine now,
0:15:58 > 0:16:01but when I was eight, I had a problem called glue ear.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05Now, that doesn't mean that my ears were actually producing glue.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09Inside my right ear, it was producing gloopy, thick fluid,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12like very thick snot, which meant I couldn't hear very well.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15Well, believe it or not, this is very common - 80% of people
0:16:15 > 0:16:18have had it by the time they're ten.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21Glue ear can cause earache and sometimes it can go on its own,
0:16:21 > 0:16:23but if you're struggling to hear,
0:16:23 > 0:16:26surgery is required in your ear drum.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30This is Kieran. He's at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital
0:16:30 > 0:16:33and today he's having a tiny plastic tube fitted called a grommet.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37- Now, do you know what these tubes are going to do?- No.- No?
0:16:37 > 0:16:41The tubes sit in your ear drum and there's fluid behind your ear drum,
0:16:41 > 0:16:44so they let the fluid drain out and that stops you getting earaches,
0:16:44 > 0:16:47stops you getting infections and it stops you going deaf.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51So to understand it properly, grommets sit in the ear drum.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54There's a grommet in an ear drum just like mine earlier.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58But that hole is very important -
0:16:58 > 0:17:01it lets the air in to relieve any pressure build up.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04- So will that be good to have it all fixed?- Yeah.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07Time to scrub up and get ready for surgery.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10Carrying out the procedure today is Miss Jaya Nichani,
0:17:10 > 0:17:12ear, nose and throat surgeon.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17It usually settles down by itself.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20It's when it won't settle down and they have problem with it
0:17:20 > 0:17:24because they can't hear, that's when we've got to do something about it.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27And that's exactly the case with Kieran.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31The grommet itself is tiny, but then it is going into a tiny space.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35So the first thing Jaya's going to do is stick a vacuum cleaner down there
0:17:35 > 0:17:37and try and suck out some of the fluid
0:17:37 > 0:17:40and then we've got to remove the glue, which is the sticky stuff.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43Can you hear that glue coming out now? The noise?
0:17:43 > 0:17:46There we go, glue. Out you come.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48This is really satisfying, watching this.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51I'm really, really enjoying this.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54With the goo removed, Jaya can now put the grommet in place.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57It's very precise work as Jaya places the grommet
0:17:57 > 0:18:00exactly in the tiny cut she's made in Kieran's ear drum.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03Whoa! There it is! That's great.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05So Kieran has got quite small ear holes,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08so imagine how hard it is to put something that small
0:18:08 > 0:18:11in exactly the right place. It's amazing.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14Kieran's got glue ear in both ears, so he gets two.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18It means he'll be able to hear well and no more earaches. Brilliant!
0:18:18 > 0:18:20The grommets will be staying in for up to six months.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24Then they just fall out without him even noticing.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27By then, Kieran should have outgrown the problem and be all better.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30Let's see how he is after the op.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33- Can you hear any differently now? - Yeah.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35- Can you hear your mum talking a bit more easily?- Yeah.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38Well, that's great. Give me a high five.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41When you're young, the little tubes inside your head
0:18:41 > 0:18:45that connect your ears and your nose get easily blocked,
0:18:45 > 0:18:48and that's what's happened to Kieran. That's why he needs grommets.
0:18:48 > 0:18:53But as you get older, the tubes get bigger and you outgrow the problem.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56Now, that's absolutely amazing to get that much benefit
0:18:56 > 0:18:59from something half the size of a grain of rice.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06This next boy may be accident prone,
0:19:06 > 0:19:09but his body is brilliant at mending itself.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11Just like yours.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14# If there's a bone to break, he'll break it
0:19:14 > 0:19:17# If there's a knee to graze, he'll graze it
0:19:17 > 0:19:19# If there's an ankle to sprain, he'll sprain it
0:19:19 > 0:19:22# He's the unluckiest kid. #
0:19:25 > 0:19:29Ligaments are attached to your bones and they're strong and stretchy.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31But if they're stretched too far they can tear,
0:19:31 > 0:19:33this is called a sprain.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36Ligaments tell your blood vessels they need help urgently,
0:19:36 > 0:19:39because blood contains healing white blood cells.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44So it sends blood gushing to the sprain.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48The area swells up, protecting your vulnerable joint from moving.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52It gets hot too, so bacteria don't want to live there.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56But if it swells for too long, then scar tissue can build up.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59The only way to stop that is to keep it cool.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03Back inside, white blood cells get rid of the damage,
0:20:03 > 0:20:05new ligament cells arrive.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08After a few weeks, the ligaments get stronger,
0:20:08 > 0:20:10so you're back on your feet.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15Watch out! Ooh, unlucky.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17# He's the unluckiest kid. #
0:20:18 > 0:20:21It's time for Investigation Ouch.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23And welcome to Manchester city centre.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27Have you ever wondered what all this activity
0:20:27 > 0:20:30does to the air you breathe in? Well, I'm about to find out.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36When you breathe in air, your lungs transfer the oxygen
0:20:36 > 0:20:38to your blood to keep your body going.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41But your lungs also have to work hard to keep pollution out.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45To do that, they need mucus and snot.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47That's why for my investigation...
0:20:47 > 0:20:49I'm going to need some snot!
0:20:49 > 0:20:53I'll be collecting snot from the city and the seaside
0:20:53 > 0:20:56to see what these two different environments throw at our
0:20:56 > 0:21:00- lungs every time we breathe in. - SHE LAUGHS
0:21:00 > 0:21:02First up, the city.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04- We want a sample of your snot.- What?
0:21:04 > 0:21:07You want my bogies? That's weird!
0:21:07 > 0:21:09Oh, there's a couple of nice ones on there.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13Well, that's the city sorted, but what about if you live by the sea?
0:21:13 > 0:21:15I'm now at Weston Super Mare.
0:21:15 > 0:21:20- Can we get a sample of your snot? - Yeah!- Do we have to?
0:21:20 > 0:21:22Yeah!
0:21:22 > 0:21:24It's a good haul, actually.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27But this was going to be your breakfast, wasn't it?
0:21:27 > 0:21:30Now we're going to take it back to the lab.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33So now I've got a load of snot, let's see what's in it.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36- There you are. - Meet Dr Kelly Berube,
0:21:36 > 0:21:38she's an expert on air pollution
0:21:38 > 0:21:39at Cardiff University
0:21:39 > 0:21:41and I've got a challenge for her.
0:21:41 > 0:21:46So Kelly, I have taken nasal swabs from the city and from the seaside.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50- OK.- Now I want you to tell me which is which.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53That's not going to be a problem Chris, easy peasy.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56- Really?- Yeah.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59Kelly's putting each sample under her microscope to see what's
0:21:59 > 0:22:02in it and work out where it's from.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04This sample is going into the seaside pile.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07I'm saying that that's going to be city.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Let's have a count up and see how she did.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12That's correct.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15Correct. Correct.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18Correct, correct, correct.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21How were you able to do that so easily?
0:22:21 > 0:22:25Well, I started off with the fact that cities have more pollution.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28The ones that had the most soot on them, I put them in the city pile
0:22:28 > 0:22:31and the ones that didn't I put them on the seaside.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35You've got snot up your nose and liquidy mucus all the way
0:22:35 > 0:22:39down your airways into your lungs, where they trap pollution particles
0:22:39 > 0:22:42and, this is where mucus is brilliant, it actually helps
0:22:42 > 0:22:44your body get rid of those particles.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47But if it's bombarded with too much pollution, it can't cope,
0:22:47 > 0:22:50as we're going to show you.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57This is a scanning electron microscope.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00It's one of the most powerful microscopes in the world
0:23:00 > 0:23:03and to replace it would cost almost £1 million.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07It's expensive because it can magnify up to two million times more
0:23:07 > 0:23:09than a normal microscope.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12Each of these metal tubes contains little samples of lung tissue
0:23:12 > 0:23:16and you're about to see them close up on this awesome bit of kit.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19Kelly, what are we looking at here? What's this?
0:23:19 > 0:23:22This is the surface of the lung and we have these cilia.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26These are little hairs and they move mucus and to breathe out.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29So basically, all the way through the air tubes
0:23:29 > 0:23:31from our nose down into our lungs we have these
0:23:31 > 0:23:33what look like hairs
0:23:33 > 0:23:37and they move in time and shift mucus that's trapped stuff
0:23:37 > 0:23:41we don't want in our lungs back up, so we can cough it out or spit it.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44- Yeah, clean our lungs so we can breathe better.- Or pick it.- Yes.
0:23:44 > 0:23:49So that was a healthy lung. This is an extremely diseased lung.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52This person has been breathing in dirty, industrial air 24/7
0:23:52 > 0:23:55over a very long period of time.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59The cilia are destroyed and that's a particle of diesel.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02Remember we saw the cilia? Well, here they've all collapsed.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05So it looks like almost a field of grass,
0:24:05 > 0:24:07where all the blades of grass have been flattened.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10- Oh yeah, definitely. - So if those cilia are flattened,
0:24:10 > 0:24:13they can no longer move the mucus back up and get rid of stuff?
0:24:13 > 0:24:17Yeah, so now that stuff is stuck in there.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19But that was a lung under extreme, dirty conditions.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21Although the air from our cities
0:24:21 > 0:24:23is more polluted than the air by the seaside,
0:24:23 > 0:24:26you shouldn't worry too much, because the mucus in your lungs
0:24:26 > 0:24:30traps the pollution. It then gets wafted up by the cilia
0:24:30 > 0:24:33in our airways and you can cough it up or blow it out your nose.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37Proving your body is brilliant at cleaning its airways,
0:24:37 > 0:24:39and that's whether you live by the sea or in the city.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47Time to head back down to accident and emergency.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49Here's another curious case.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54In Manchester, 11-year-old Oscar has been brought to hospital
0:24:54 > 0:24:58by his mum when he came home from football with a sore nose.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Playing football yesterday, at football training.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05- We were winning 1-0...- Go on.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07..and someone elbowed me by accident
0:25:07 > 0:25:10and it felt like it just went on the side.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13Well, I'd definitely stop prodding it, then.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16So, how exactly did this nose bending accident happen?
0:25:19 > 0:25:23It was football training at school and Oscar was in goal.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25His team were one up.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28- They look a bit out of breath. - And the crowd was going wild.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32But the opposition were putting the pressure on
0:25:32 > 0:25:34and the ball was heading Oscar's way.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Oh, where's the defence? He's clean through!
0:25:37 > 0:25:40Oscar ran out to kick the ball clear...
0:25:42 > 0:25:44..when all of a sudden there was a smash.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48His nose collided with his opponent's elbow.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51Yellow? I'd have gone for red, but I guess ref NOSE best.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54That was terrible, Xand.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56Oscar's nose might not look that bent
0:25:56 > 0:25:58but with an accident like this
0:25:58 > 0:26:02- there's a good chance it could be broken.- It feels weird.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05I bet it does, so let's get that weird-feeling nose seen to.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07Over to ear, nose and throat specialist,
0:26:07 > 0:26:10Mr Baskaran Ranganathan.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13He'll find out if anything's damaged.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16- Is it sore down here?- No.- OK.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19The nasal bone probably is just broken in one point
0:26:19 > 0:26:22so that it's shifted the bone to one side.
0:26:22 > 0:26:27With a break like this, that means only one thing - an operation.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Inside your nose, the tip is made of flexible cartilage,
0:26:32 > 0:26:34but higher up there are two thin bones,
0:26:34 > 0:26:36which make up your nasal bone.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39When these get a bang they can break easily
0:26:39 > 0:26:41and need surgery to push them back into place.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48Oscar's had a general anaesthetic, so he can't feel a thing
0:26:48 > 0:26:51and now it's down to Mr Baskaran to straighten his sniffer.
0:26:52 > 0:26:56The doctor uses forceps to pull the bones back into line.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00This might look nasty, but if the bones aren't straightened up,
0:27:00 > 0:27:04Oscar could have breathing problems for life.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07There's a few final adjustments and before he NOSE it,
0:27:07 > 0:27:09his nose is normal again.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13Strapped up with support strips across the bridge of his nose,
0:27:13 > 0:27:15it's all over.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17And an hour later he's woken up.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22Well, Mum's happy, but what do you think?
0:27:22 > 0:27:25It's straight now and I can play football.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28Well, hold your horses, your nose needs six to eight weeks to heal
0:27:28 > 0:27:32before you can get back in goal, but for now, at least you're off home.
0:27:32 > 0:27:33BOTH: Bye!
0:27:35 > 0:27:38Next time, Courtney's ear needs flushing...
0:27:40 > 0:27:42..Xand does some painting with his wee...
0:27:44 > 0:27:46..and we meet some creepy crawlies
0:27:46 > 0:27:49that are a bit too close for comfort.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51Oh, it's moving!
0:27:51 > 0:27:54- So that's it until next time.- Bye!
0:28:11 > 0:28:13Subtitles by Red Bee Media