I hope yours doesn't get to the point that mine did. I had to have surgery on it after trying many other options including cortizone shots and physical therapy. Mine was osteoarthritis and had to have a joint resection, bone removed, and tendons reconnected. It was a long recovery, but as hard as it was, it did work. Has been 10 years now since I had the surgery, and as long as I don't overuse it, don't have the problems I had before the surgery.