by Sarah Angle
Figure 1. A child eating a cold treat while experiencing a brain freeze. (Aheram, Jayel. Brain_freeze-01A. 2009. Wikimedia Commons. File:Brain freeze-01A.jpg – Wikimedia Commons)
You’re sitting by the pool, the sun scorching, when that familiar jingle drifts down the street. Children sprint toward the sound as parents dig for their wallets, all converging at the corner where the ice cream truck waits. At the front of the line, you’re handed your favorite Drumstick. You can’t devour it fast enough, until a sharp, throbbing pain hits. Brain freeze!
We’ve all been there. It’s a common summertime struggle, but what actually causes a brain freeze?
The Causes:
Brain freeze, less commonly known as sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia, is a short, intense headache triggered by eating or drinking something cold too quickly. When the roof of your mouth senses sudden cold from food, the tiny blood vessels there first tighten (constrict) from the cold, then quickly open up (dilate) to let warm blood rush in. This rapid change triggers nearby nerves to send a “pain alert” to the brain. The brain then interprets this as a headache, even though the cold started in your mouth; this concept is called ‘referred pain’ since the pain is felt apart from where the cold stimulus occurs.
The Solutions:
Although the brain freeze is a survival response that helps protect our body’s core temperature, it’s definitely not something anyone enjoys. To ease the pain, doctors suggest warming the area gradually by pressing your tongue or thumb against the roof of your mouth or sipping something warm. And if you want to avoid the brain freeze altogether, try slowing down when you eat or drink something icy. Giving your body a little more time to adjust can save you from that sudden, sharp headache.
Is it Serious?
Even though a brain freeze feels quite intense, these headaches are actually harmless. They rarely last longer than a minute. So next time you see the ice cream truck, don’t be afraid to grab your favorite frozen treat. Just remember to eat a little slower if you want to dodge that icy headache!
For more: Check out this short video or this podcast!
