Top of right hand

I have started having pain on the top of my right hand.  It throbs at times to the point I cannot lift or carry anything with my right hand.  I do carry a testing kit in my right hand daily in my work, and I also type reports and search for data on the coputer.  I have noticed at night I will wake up with it hurting.  What could it be?  I can take Motrin and it helps alot with pain, but I do not like taking medicine.

[Dr Rajgopal]

Hi,
The symptoms could be due to Carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), or median neuropathy at the wrist, is a condition in which the median nerve is compressed at the wrist, leading to paresthesias( loss of sensation), numbness and muscle weakness in the hand. Most cases of CTS are idiopathic or without any known cause. CTS is sometimes associated with trauma, multiple myeloma, amyloidosis, rheumatoid arthritis, acromegaly, mucopolysaccharidoses, or hypothyroidism. Please go for X rays, MRI of the arm and hand and consult a neurologist for diagnosis and management. Hope this helps you. Take care and regards!