Q: I had been watching yogabhyas and pranayam TV. I have been doing paranayam (except kapalbhati) and some of the asanas from the past 6 months. Recently, while I was doing kapalbhati, I felt pain under the diaphragm in the centre of the stomach and I stopped doing it. After some days I started getting gas in my stomach. No matter what I eat, I get gas in the whole body especially in the lower left side of the abdomen, which was not there earlier. Is the pain related to Kapalbhati? Could my way of performing the asana be wrong? I have also taken a tablet to remove worms, in case there are any. What is the remedy? Should I continue Kapalbhati? What could have gone wrong? What tests have to be carried out to get the right diagnosis?

A:I do not think you need any tests. From your description it seems you have not adopted the right posture while doing yoga. It basically seems muscle spasm which will go away with hot water fomentation. Secondly, Kapalbhati cannot give this pain. You can always wait till the spasm is relieved and then continue. I would suggest you increase your timing slowly. I have never shown any yogabhyas and pranayams on any channel. I think you have had some misunderstanding. If you are sure, they were in my name, I would be grateful if you could give me the particulars of the same.