Etymology: L, crena, notch. the formation of notches or leaflike scalloped edges on an object. Red blood cells exposed to a hypertonic saline solution acquire a notched, shriveled surface as a result of the osmotic effect of the solution. They are then called crenated red blood cells. crenate, crenated, adj.
Occipital neuralgia is the neck/head pain that results from injury or irritation to the occipital nerves. It can be caused by trauma, such as a car accident, by a pinched nerve root in the neck (from arthritis, for example) or by âtightâ muscles at the back of the head that entrap the nerves.
Signs and symptoms. The main symptom of occipital neuralgia is chronic headache. The pain is commonly localized in the back and around or over the top of the head, sometimes up to the eyebrow or behind the eye.