Question
I'm a 38 year old relatively healthy male. Over the past year or so, I have experienced pain in the back of my neck at the joint at the base of my skull. The pain occurs when my head is upright, and as I tilt my head forward the pain increases until I hear a "crack," and the pain is gone. Over the past week the pain has become more severe, and it does not "crack" and go away when I tilt my head forward. I also now have pain in that area when I turn my head from side to side (which did not happen before last week).

Answer
Hi Sean,

It sounds as if you have had some mechanical instability between your occiput and first cervical vertebra.  You may have sprained it further with that final crepitus.

The resultant edema has made it difficult to "crack" again and is causing pain in the other motions.

You should immediately consult a chiorpractic doctor.  After a year it is already chronic.  Don't let it progress.

The website below is a good way to find a local doc.

Hope this helps a bit.