Gas (flatus) is made in the stomach and intestines as your body breaks down food into energy. All people pass gas, some people more than others. It is normal to pass gas from 6 to 20 times per day. Common causes of gas include: 1  Swallowed air. If swallowed air is not burped up, it passes through the digestive tract and is released through the anus as flatus. Excessive air swallowing may cause hiccups.  Foods and beverages. The amount of gas that different foods cause varies from person to person.
Spinal Stenosis. What is Spinal Stenosis? Spinal stenosis is defined as the narrowing of the spinal canal, most often in the cervical (neck) area and in the lower back (lumbar) region. This condition places pressure on the spinal cord, with patients most often experiencing problems when inflammation of the nerves occur as the pressure is increased.
Spinal stenosis is a progresive narrowing of the spinal canal that occurs most commonly in the cervical and lumbar areas.The prevalence of lumbar spinal stenosis is about 9.3%, with people in their 60s and 70s most commonly affected. Consensus criteria are needed to define and classify spinal stenosis. The means by which spinal stenosis is diagnosed is also changing. Concerns related to radiation risk of CT scans and the recognized limitations of spinal radiography suggest that MRI represents the best imaging modality in many cases. MRI helps avoid myelography and the associated risk and pain.