Acupuncture is a feasible alternative to procedural sedation for shoulder reduction in the emergency department.

Treating shoulder dislocations is common in the emergency department and often requires procedural sedation. The use of acupuncture for treatment of chronic pain has been shown to be successful in various outpatient settings, and some EDs have recently incorporated acupuncture as an analgesia adjunct for chronic painful conditions to avoid opioid therapy. Limited data describe acupuncture to facilitate ED procedures.