Can I cause nerve damage in my hands from gripping something very hard for extended periods of time?

My latest hobby is woodcarving. I’m loving it, but it’s hard on the hands even when I’m not slipping up and accidentally cutting myself. For the last few hours, my left hand has been gripping a block of wood, with the edges of the block digging into my palm, while my right hand has been gripping the wooden handle of my carving knife. I just took a break to vacuum up all my wood shavings, and I kept getting shooting tingling feelings in my fingers while gripping the vacuum handle, similar to the feeling you get in your arm when you bump your elbow just the wrong way. My hands are sore in the spots that receive the most pressure: the thumb that presses on the back of the knife blade, a few spots on the palm where the wood block digs in.

Can I cause nerve damage over the long term if this remains a hobby of mine? Are there measures I can take to protect my hands?