Spinal Stenosis: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment in Baghdad

Spinal stenosis is one of the most common causes of chronic back pain and leg pain in adults over 50, and it is increasingly being diagnosed in younger patients as well. In Baghdad and across Iraq, Dr. Ghazwan Hasan treats spinal stenosis using the most advanced minimally invasive decompression techniques available, helping patients walk freely again without the long recovery of traditional open surgery.

What Is Spinal Stenosis?

Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal canal — the bony channel that houses and protects the spinal cord and nerve roots. When this canal narrows, it creates pressure on the nerves, causing pain, numbness, and weakness that can significantly limit a person's ability to walk and carry out daily activities. Stenosis most commonly affects the lumbar spine (lower back) and the cervical spine (neck).

What Are the Symptoms of Spinal Stenosis?

The hallmark symptom of lumbar spinal stenosis is neurogenic claudication — leg pain, heaviness, or cramping that comes on with walking or standing and is relieved by sitting or leaning forward. Other symptoms include lower back pain that is worse when standing upright, numbness or tingling in one or both legs, weakness in the legs or feet, difficulty walking long distances, and in severe cases, problems with bladder or bowel control. Cervical stenosis causes different symptoms including neck pain, arm weakness or numbness, and in serious cases, difficulty with balance and fine motor control.

How Is Spinal Stenosis Diagnosed?

Diagnosis begins with a thorough clinical history and physical examination. MRI is the most important imaging tool for spinal stenosis — it shows the degree of canal narrowing, which nerve roots are compressed, and the extent of disc degeneration and facet joint hypertrophy causing the narrowing. CT scan and nerve conduction studies may also be used to further characterize the problem. At his Baghdad clinic, Dr. Hasan correlates the MRI findings with the patient's symptoms before recommending any treatment.

Conservative Treatment Options

For mild to moderate spinal stenosis, conservative treatment is always the first step. This includes physiotherapy focusing on flexion-based exercises and core strengthening, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, epidural steroid injections to reduce nerve inflammation, activity modification to avoid symptom-provoking positions, and walking aids when needed. Many patients experience significant improvement with conservative management, particularly those with early-stage stenosis.

Surgical Treatment: Minimally Invasive Decompression

When conservative treatment fails after three to six months, or when neurological deficits are progressing, surgical decompression is recommended. Dr. Ghazwan Hasan specializes in minimally invasive and endoscopic decompression techniques for spinal stenosis, including endoscopic laminotomy and foraminotomy, the Slalom technique for multilevel degenerative stenosis, unilateral biportal endoscopic (UBE) decompression, and minimally invasive tubular laminectomy. These approaches preserve the spinal ligaments and muscles to a much greater extent than open surgery, resulting in faster recovery and less postoperative pain. Dr. Hasan has published original research on the Slalom technique for multilevel stenosis, which is one of his areas of clinical expertise.

When Is Spinal Fusion Necessary?

In cases where spinal stenosis is accompanied by instability — such as spondylolisthesis (one vertebra slipping over another) — decompression alone is not sufficient, and spinal fusion may be needed to stabilize the spine. Dr. Hasan performs minimally invasive TLIF (Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion) in these cases, using techniques he pioneered in Baghdad and continues to refine through international surgical training.

Book a Spinal Stenosis Consultation in Baghdad

If you have been experiencing leg pain, heaviness when walking, or progressive weakness, spinal stenosis may be the cause. Dr. Ghazwan Hasan's clinic is located at the Ashur Building, Al-Kindi Street, Harthiya, Baghdad. Contact the clinic on +964 771 409 9298 or via WhatsApp to schedule a consultation. Early evaluation and treatment can prevent permanent nerve damage and restore your mobility.