Introduction
Nothing beats an ice-cold drink or a bowl of ice cream on a hot day, except when we get too eager to gulp it down, and the head suddenly feels like it is on fire. Brain freeze, also known as ice cream headaches, is a childhood summer rite of passage. Scientists at Harvard Medical School who studied the causes of brain freeze believe that their findings could lead to more effective treatments for various types of headaches, such as migraines or pain caused by brain injuries.
What Is Brain Freeze?
A cold-stimulus headache, also known as an ice-cream headache or brain freeze, is a type of brief pain or headache caused by the rapid consumption of cold drinks or food such as snow cones, popsicles, and ice cream. Brain freeze is scientifically known as sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia, a serious name for a not-so-serious condition. Brain freeze is simply the body's reaction to eating too-cold foods.
It is caused when something cold touches the roof of the mouth, and it is thought to be caused by a nerve response leading to rapid constriction and swelling of blood vessels or by a "referring" pain from the roof of the mouth to the head. The rate of consumption of cold foods has been studied as a factor. It can also happen when an unprotected head is suddenly exposed to cold temperatures, such as when diving into cold water. A cold-stimulus headache is different from dentin hypersensitivity, which can occur under similar conditions. When presented with a similar stimulus, cats and other animals have been observed to exhibit a similar reaction.
What Causes Brain Freeze?
The body and brain control various bodily functions, including temperature. In case of high fever, even a few degrees can seriously affect the entire body. So, if we put something too cold in the mouth too quickly, the body's first reaction is to warm up. This starts off a chain of events that leads to brain freeze.
A brain freeze headache is caused by the rapid cooling and rewarming of the capillaries in the sinuses, which causes vasoconstriction and vasodilation. The body dilates the blood vessels in the mouth, directing blood to the area to heat it up. Pain is caused by rapid changes in blood vessel size and flow. However, the vessels around the mouth are not the only ones affected. Other vessels in the surrounding area may also grow or shrink, including those in the forehead and behind the eyes, and the meninges, which are the spaces between the skull and the brain. All these areas send pain signals to the brain via the trigeminal nerve, which controls many functions in the face and head. As a result, when the brain receives these signals, one experiences pain at the site of the problem and in the front of the head.
After being outside on a cold day, the face appears 'flushed' due to a similar, but painless, blood vessel response. In both cases, the cold causes the capillaries in the sinuses to constrict, followed by extreme rebound dilation as they warm up again. It is unclear why we get brain freeze. Eating too-hot foods is, in fact, more dangerous than eating too-cold foods, so it is not like the body is warning us about a genuine threat. We do not know if brain freeze served any evolutionary purpose, but it is believed that it is our bodies way of telling us to slow down.
While the condition is associated with childhood, it is more likely that many children do not have the habit of eating foods like ice cream slowly. Surprisingly, only 30 to 40 % of the population is susceptible to brain freeze. While researchers are not sure why, it could mean that the trigeminal nerve is more sensitive in some people than others. Furthermore, some research suggests that migraine sufferers are more prone to brain freeze, which, if true, may imply that researching the cause of brain freeze could help uncover information about another similarly mysterious type of headache — a migraine. Ergotamine is a migraine prescription medication generally prescribed by physicians for long term.
What Distinguishes Brain Freeze From Other Types of Headaches?
The main distinctions are in the symptoms. Consider migraines, which are the most common type of headache. Migraines are typically characterized by pain on one side of the head, nausea, sensitivity to light and noise, and, in some cases, blurry vision. None of those symptoms are present in brain freeze. However, the path is similar. The trigeminal nerve is involved in both migraines and brain freeze. Unlike other types of headaches, a brain freeze comes and goes quickly. It typically lasts between a few seconds and two minutes. It goes away on its own without needing medication or rest.
How to Ease a Brain Freeze?
-
If one experiences a brain freeze, act quickly. First, one needs to return the mouth temperature to normal so the blood vessels can shrink back to their neutral state. One tried-and-true method is to press the tongue against the roof of the mouth, where the heat will be transferred to the tissue.
-
Remove any cold food or drink from the mouth and press the tongue or thumb against the roof of the mouth, if possible. Drinking warm or room-temperature water can also help.
-
Even if we do not do either of these things, brain freeze usually lasts a few seconds to a few minutes and is not dangerous — certainly not dangerous enough to prevent us from enjoying the pleasure of ice cream.
How to Prevent Brain Freeze?
Avoiding sudden, extreme temperature changes in the mouth, throat, and head is the only way to avoid brain freeze. As an example:
-
Avoid having freezing cold food, drinks, and air.
-
Slowly consume cold foods and beverages.
-
Use a scarf or face mask as a barrier against cold air.
Conclusion
A brain freeze is painful but not serious and resolves on its own. Avoiding very cold foods, drinks, and freezing air can help avoid ice cream headaches. Simple methods like pressing the thumb or tongue against the roof of the mouth can help during a brain freeze. Alternatively, drinking something warm or at room temperature would also be beneficial.
