POWER OF ATTORNEY
  Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and
appoints each of Ruben Garcia, Raffi Asadorian, Martha Adler and Mark Weeks, or
either of them signing singly, and with full power of substitution, the
undersigned's true and lawful attorney in fact to:
(1)   prepare, execute in the undersigned's name and on the undersigned's
behalf, and submit to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") a
Form ID, including amendments thereto, and any other documents necessary or
appropriate to obtain codes and passwords enabling the undersigned to make
electronic filings with the SEC of reports required by Section 16(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or any rule or regulation of the SEC;
(2)   execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's
capacity as an officer, director and/or more than 10% stockholder of AcelRx
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the "Company"), Forms 3, 4, and 5 in accordance with
Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder;
(3)   do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned which
may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such Form 3, 4, or 5,
complete and execute any amendment or amendments thereto, and timely file such
form with the SEC and any stock exchange or similar authority; and
(4)   take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the
foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney in fact, may be of benefit to,
in the best interest of, or legally required by, the undersigned, it being
understood that the documents executed by such attorney in fact on behalf of the
undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in such form and shall
contain such terms and conditions as such attorney in fact may approve in such
attorney in fact's discretion.
  The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney in fact full power and
authority to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever requisite,
necessary, or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers
herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or
could do if personally present, with full power of substitution or revocation,
hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney in fact, or such attorney
in fact's substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue of this power of attorney and the rights and powers herein granted. The
undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorney in fact, in serving in such
capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not assuming, nor is the Company
assuming, any of the undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
  This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the
undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4, and 5 with respect to the
undersigned's holdings of and transactions in securities issued by the Company,
unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the
foregoing attorney in fact. This Power of Attorney supersedes any prior power of
attorney granted by the undersigned with respect to Forms 3, 4, and 5.
  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to be
executed as of this 30th day of July, 2019.
/s/ Vincent Angotti
Vincent Angotti