How does brain freeze happen?

Brain freeze is also known as ice cream headache, cold stimulus headache, and sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia. It is a short-term headache typically linked to the rapid consumption of ice cream, ice pops, or very cold drinks. Brain freeze occurs when something extremely cold touches the upper palate (roof of the mouth). read more

Brain freeze is practically a rite of summer. It happens when you eat ice cream or gulp something ice cold too quickly. The scientific term is sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia, but that's a mouthful. Brain freeze is your body's way of putting on the brakes, telling you to slow down and take it easy. read more

There is no such thing as a brain freeze. A frozen brain is not a living brain. If by “brain freeze” you mean something else, please clarify, because if so, the term “brain freeze” is a masterpiece of vagueness. And please don’t reply with, “Everybody knows what a brain freeze is.” Everybody doesn’t. read more

Brain freeze is caused by: Cooling of the capillaries of the sinuses by a cold stimulus, which results in vasoconstriction (a narrowing of the blood vessels). A quick rewarming by a warm stimulus such as the air, which results in vasodilation (a widening of the blood vessels). read more

Here's what causes brain freeze and how to stop the pain. read more