This (probably) carpal tunnel is driving me nuts... can someone give me some relief before the doctor tonight?

I have an appointment at 7:30 tonight. So there. ;)

My right hand only goes dead every night and the pain often wakes me up from a dead sleep. Things like cooking and texting start to make my hand tingly very quickly. It’s been getting progressively worse in the past few weeks… to the point where I woke up at 7:30 this morning and my thumb is still tingly at 11:24, no matter what I do. I have a brace, but I can’t sleep with it on, and wearing it during the day seems to aggravate the problem.

I just want the damned feeling back in my thumb until tonight… any ideas?

And also, this thing with my thumb disturbs me. Is it possible for permanent damage to be done?