Tightness at base of skull only on one side

[blairbear3]

Hi, I'm very concerned about a tightness I feel on the left side at the base of my skull, close to my neck. Sometimes pain shoots up towards my head and sometimes it shoots down to my neck, especially when I try to look up. The pain gives me limited mobility of my neck because of a pull I feel there. About two months ago my neck started hurting horribly, I went to the doctor and he said it was torticolis from sleeping in a bad position for years (on my side with my face not touching the pillow) and was prescribed Medrol, Flexeril, and Naproxen and given steroid shots. After a week I felt back to normal and I thought I was completely ok, so I started doing my normal activities, but the next day after I went out and was normal, I woke up with lots of pain again. It went away a couple more times, but it always came back even when I tried to be careful to not strain myself and this last time it's been the tightness I explained above. Sometimes as I do things throughout the day, it feels better and almost "normal", but the pain always comes back off and on the whole day. When I wake up the pain is always there. I sleep on a contour pillow on my back now, so I don't think it's my sleeping position anymore. I also went to a chiropractor, but she didn't have much of an explanation for me, except that it's not degenerative and that it has nothing to do with bones or a fracture. I tried massage and decompression therapy there, but it made me feel worse. I don't know who else to go to (what other kind of doctor?) or what to do anymore, I don't want to have this pain forever or be paranoid of it coming back. Thank you so much for any help.

[blairbear3]

I haven't had any imaging done except for X-rays at the chiropractor's office. I will look into an Orthopedic Specialist. Thank you so much for your suggestion.

[Londres70]

I would recommend consulting an Orthopedic Specialist.  

Have you had any imaging of your neck?  i.e. CT or MRI?