Nick Pappas, MD

Nick Pappas, MD Nick Pappas, MD is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon in New Orleans, LA A New Orleans native, he graduated from St. Martin’s Episcopal School (Metairie, LA).
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Nick Pappas, MD is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with a Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) in hand surgery who specializes in various hand and upper extremity conditions. He then traveled to Princeton University (Princeton, NJ) for college, where he earned a B.A. in Philosophy and pitched for the baseball team. While at Princeton, he played baseball for all four years on a team that won 2 Ivy League Baseball Championships and made 2 appearances in the NCAA Division I College World Series Tournament. After college, he earned his medical degree from Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN). He then completed an orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA). After residency, he returned to Vanderbilt University to complete a fellowship in Hand, Microvascular, and Upper Extremity Surgery. Dr. Pappas has been in practice for over 10 years. He currently serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at both Tulane University and Louisiana State University. He is also a member of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand and serves as a consultant reviewer for the prestigious Journal of Hand Surgery, American. He has an active interest in clinical research with over 30 peer-reviewed publications and multiple textbook chapters to his credit. For a complete up-to-date listing of all Dr. Pappas’s publications, please click the following link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Pappas+n

01/31/2026

I can't believe they cut my scene! 🎬

🚨 All jokes aside (obviously this is not really a deleted scene), I pretty much lived in the ER as an orthopedic surgery resident. I'm very surprised we haven't seen ortho make their debut on the show yet. What's going on, ? 😂

👉 Also, for any future healthcare workers watching, we generally recommend washing out a large open joint dislocation (for example, shoulder or knee dislocation) thoroughly in the operating room, usually within six hours of the injury to minimize risks of infection.

01/31/2026

For me it has been creatine for muscle and brain support, but I've also seen good results with magnesium glycinate as a sleep aid.

👉 Be sure to let me know your answer in the comments.

01/30/2026

To be honest, I don't really have a lot of haters, but I do occasionally get a few. Every now and then, I get a direct message with a few choice words. In my mind, it goes with the territory of posting on social media, especially if you are a healthcare provider.

I personally just try to brush it off. You have to have thick skin to work in healthcare, and even thicker to post about it.

🚨 The one thing I think is kind of funny is that it must be difficult to watch someone else's videos on a consistent basis without accidentally hitting the like button.

01/30/2026

Comment NEWSLETTER for more similar health information, and I’ll send you a link to sign up for my free weekly newsletter 🗞️

👉 Ibuprofen is one of the most popular nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) out there. It is also sold under the brand names Advil or Motrin. It has been shown to be an effective anti-inflammatory by inhibiting the COX (cyclooxygenase) enzyme. This decreases the production of prostaglandins, which in turn can reduce inflammation and therefore reduce pain.

🚨 Although it is effective, it can have side effects when taken for extended periods of time, which include stomach ulceration and kidney damage. In general, experts recommend using this or any other similar medication only when absolutely necessary and only for short periods of time, typically less than 10 days.

01/30/2026

Did I miss anything?

01/29/2026

Believe it or not, the number one cause of nerve damage (neuropathy) is actually diabetes.

🚨 Diabetes accounts for roughly 50% of all cases of peripheral neuropathy. Chronic high blood sugar damages nerves and small blood vessels.

👉 Other major causes include alcohol abuse, vitamin deficiencies such as B12, chemotherapy, autoimmune diseases, and infections. 

01/28/2026

This is the reimbursement for a “non-facility” (i.e. non- hospital) professional fee, which is basically healthcare providers in private practice. The facilities like hospitals actually get paid less when it comes to professional fees.

🚨 I should also mention that about 20-30% of all US health insurance claims get denied (some of which are overturned after months of appealing), and about 10% of all claims never get paid. So if you're seeing 40 patients in a day, expect to not get reimbursed anything for about 4 of them.

👉 In addition, ancillary services such as x-rays or injections on the same day of the office visit often get denied, as some insurance companies argue they are part of the office visit.

🚨 What are your thoughts on this? Let me know in the comments.

01/28/2026

Bone density peaks at around age 30. If you don’t put stress across your bones in the form of activities like resistance training, the bones will get weaker with time.

🦴🚨 Once you lose bone density, it’s very difficult to regain it. The weaker your bones are, the more likely they are to fracture.

💪 The best ways to help keep bones strong are as follows:

1.) Consuming calcium-rich foods (e.g. milk, yogurt, almonds) 🥛

2.) Consuming foods with vitamin D like salmon or cheese (can also get vitamin D from sunlight) 🍣

3.) Weight-bearing exercises, especially resistance training (e.g. squats) and jumping-type activities (e.g. drop jump), which help strengthen bone via Wolff’s law (states that bones become stronger over time with increased stress placed upon them) 💪

4.) Supplements (generally only needed if inadequate dietary intake): calcium / vitamin D, magnesium (which helps vitamin D work), collagen peptides (have been shown in multiple studies to help with osteoporosis). 💊
*Note: for individuals who may have cardiac issues, calcium supplementation may not be recommended.

As always, be sure to check with your doctor before starting any new supplement to see if it’s safe for you.

5.) Hormone replacement therapy (most often estrogen for post-menopausal women with osteoporosis)

6.) Medications like bisphosphonates which help slow down bone breakdown

🚨 Comment NEWSLETTER for more similar health information, and I'll send you a link to my free weekly newsletter.

01/28/2026

Who can relate?

01/28/2026

Hematomas (collections of blood) on the back of the hand are more common than you might think, especially if someone is on blood thinners like Coumadin or aspirin. The back of the hand doesn't have a lot of soft tissue coverage and is commonly hit, so it is prone to developing these hematomas.

😷 When they are acute, interventions such as ice, elevation, and compression are best. After 48 hours, heat is better to help with resorption.

🚨 If you enjoy this type of health information, comment NEWSLETTER and I'll send you a link to sign up for my free weekly newsletter 🗞️

01/27/2026

👉 Comment NEWSLETTER for more similar health information and I’ll send you a link to my free weekly newsletter. Also, be sure to check out , which is my health education company that focuses on evidence-based ways to optimize health.

👉 As for the video, let’s start from the top.

1. Definitely do not go into medicine for the money 💰 … you will never be happy with that decision. Go into it because you like helping others.

2. 🥘 Diet is very much more important than I ever realized when I was younger. At 46 now, I now see the benefits of avoiding ultra-processed foods and focusing on things like salmon, lean meats, green leafy vegetables, nuts, and berries. I just feel better overall and have better energy. No matter how much you exercise, you cannot out-exercise a bad diet.

3. 💪 Resistance training is one of the keys to keeping your bones strong and maintaining your muscle mass, both of which will potentially help you live longer.

4. 😴 Sleep is when your body heals and when your muscles grow after working out in the gym. Try to get at least 7 to 9 hours per night.

5. 🧠 Don’t worry if you forget the Krebs cycle right after you memorize it. Google, which was invented in 1998 (at which time I was about 20), has had my back for that one ever since medical school. However, to be honest, I really haven't had to think much about it since.

01/27/2026

Comment TOPICAL and I’ll send you a link to the topical CBD with the same concentration and mixture as in the research study (and which I helped to develop).

💊 Oral NSAIDs certainly be effective but do have side effects and may be contraindicated if you have stomach or kidney issues. Although there are several options for other types of topical anti-inflammatories, lately I’ve seen the best results with topical CBD (cannabidiol).

😷 However, it has always been difficult to determine what concentration to use. Recently, there was a 2022 randomized controlled trial published in the Journal of Hand Surgery (PMID: 35637038) that showed a concentration of 6.2 mg/mL of CBD mixed with shea butter provided 60% pain relief after 2 weeks for arthritis. It was compared with placebo, and the results were statistically significant (p < .05). No adverse events were noted.

Unfortunately, the study only involved 18 patients, so I definitely need to see more studies with larger numbers of patients and even a comparison to Voltaren gel to make any definitive conclusions. Nonetheless, this is the best data we have for now.

👉 As a result of this study, I decided to work with my cofounder to replicate the mixture used in the study. A lot of my patients were asking me for a high-quality balm, and this was my solution. So far I’ve seen good results on my patients with this mixture and even use it myself for various aches and pains. However, always check with your own doctor before starting any new topical balm. Also, some CBD products can result in a positive drug test.

🚨 All that being said, stay tuned for more research on this topic, as I know of several other physicians who are currently conducting studies on topical CBD and other topical pain relievers to determine just how well they actually work.

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2520 Harvard Avenue
Metairie, LA
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