When arthritis affects the thumb, it makes everything from getting dressed to making a meal miserable. There is surgery available end the pain for those who've reached the end of their line.

This story was excerpted from Jake Rill’s Orioles Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Discover the hidden ways smartphone use damages thumb joints, causes tendon inflammation, and triggers nerve pain, plus ...