Abstract:Minimally invasive interventional techniques have developed rapidly in the field of pain management, and image-guided precise injections have become increasingly sophisticated and widely applied. Glucocorticoids (GCs), the most commonly used agents in injection therapy, can rapidly inhibit inflammation and relieve pain. However, long-term application of GCs is limited by side effects such as elevated blood glucose, tissue atrophy, tendon rupture, and calcium loss, as well as diminishing efficacy after repeated injections. Nerve hydrodissection with 5% dextrose water (D5W) is a novel minimally invasive method that is non-pharmacological, non-GCs, and non-ablative. It can quickly separate perineural adhesions, augments local microcirculation, suppresses neuroinflammation, and accelerates neural repair, thereby effectively relieving pain. Here, we review the domestic and international literature on the application of D5W in painful disorders, including carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, occipital neuralgia, and posterior ramus entrapment syndrome, with specific emphasis on its analgesic mechanisms, current applications and safety profile, aiming to provide evidence-based guidance for standardizing pain management while minimizing the dependence of GCs.