I've been doing some heavy duty quilting (paper piecing) plus practicing my hand quilting and the carpal tunnel syndrome is acting up very bad in my right hand. You have my sympathy and empathy about what you are experiencing. I had surgery on my left hand almost 20 years ago. Surprisingly, the non-dominate hand is often worse because of the "supporting" actions of that hand when using your hands. I will get my right hand fixed when I return from a trip. The surgery was a snap the last time and my recovery time was very short and and this was the traditional method. Classic symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome are the numbness in the thumb and first 3 fingers. I cannot determine the thickness of paper because my fingers are numb and feel like sandpaper. Often there are severe pains running up the top of the hand. Repetitive movements as in quilting aggravates the condition. There are wrist supports you can use, but usually surgery is the final cure. Good luck