With summer in full swing, many people are indulging in sweet treats such as ice cream and carbonated slushies. However, these refreshing delights can sometimes lead to a sudden headache, commonly known as a “brain freeze.” According to neuroscientist Kristofer Rau from Virginia Tech, this sensation is caused by the brain’s reaction to a rapid cooling inside the head, which triggers an increase in blood flow to warm the area back up. The resulting sudden expansion of blood vessels is interpreted as pain, which can be uncomfortable but ultimately harmless.
Rau explains that the suddenness of the expansion in the blood vessels causes a burst of activity in the nerve endings in the roof of the mouth, interpreted by the brain as something that needs attention immediately. Most regular headaches are also caused by changes in the size of our blood vessels, but these changes are more gradual. While unpleasant, brain freeze is not dangerous and should go away within a few seconds to a minute.
Although consuming cold items slowly or warming the roof of the mouth can help alleviate brain freeze, it may not be possible to avoid it altogether. Rau suggests that the only way to completely prevent one is to avoid consuming anything that is cold, but this doesn’t sound like a fun alternative during the hot summer months.
Brain freeze is a temporary, self-limiting headache that occurs after ingesting cold liquids. The scientific term is a “cold stimulus headache” or sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia. The headache is felt in the front of the head and can last for a few seconds to a minute.
Interestingly, brain freeze has been the subject of several studies that investigate the mechanisms of migraines and other types of headache. Migraines, for example, are thought to involve changes in blood flow and nerve activity in the brain, similar to brain freeze. These studies are shedding light on the underlying causes of headache pain and potential treatments.
While brain freeze is not harmful, it can be a nuisance for those who enjoy cold treats. Fortunately, there are a few strategies to alleviate this sensation. One method is to warm the roof of your mouth by pressing your tongue against it, and another is to consume cold items more slowly, allowing your body to adjust. Since these headaches are usually brief, though, you can simply take a moment to enjoy your treat and wait for the pain to subside.
In conclusion, brain freeze is a temporary headache that can occur after ingesting cold liquids. The sudden expansion of blood vessels in the roof of the mouth, triggered by the brain’s warming response, is interpreted as pain. Although unpleasant, it is not harmful and can be avoided or mitigated by consuming cold items more slowly or warming up the roof of the mouth. While there is no surefire way to prevent brain freeze altogether, it is a small price to pay for the enjoyment of sweet and refreshing treats on a hot summer day.
