Is 'brain freeze' a true medical problem?

Question

the sensation you experience when drinking something ice cold

Answer 1

Its more like a phenomenon... when the soft palate gets too cold it can send "phantom pain" shooting up into your brain so that it feels like somebody is stabbing your brain with an ice cold railroad spike, and then twisting it. But it only lasts until the soft palate warms up enough, then the pain subsides (thankfully). So its not the type of thing you would go to your doctor for... just drink your slurpy slowly and try to keep the roof of your mouth warm.

Answer 2

I wouldn't classify it as a medical problem. There are no long term effects of it. By the way to avoid a brain freeze keep ice cold drink or food of the roof of your mouth, it's the nerves that cause the brain freeze up there.

Answer 3

Brain freeze is caused by something cold touching the roof of your both and the blood vessels restricting, so i guess it can be considered an actual medical problem.

Answer 4

If it were to last for more than half an hour, then yes. Brainfreeze can be compared to having a bare, exposed hand during winter. If you're outside for just three minutes, it won't matter, right? You'll come inside and your hand'll warm up. But if your hand is exposed to the blistering cold for thirty minutes... FROSTBITE! Dun dun dunnn.

Answer 5

No, brain freeze isn't a medical problem.

Answer 6

yes, only from what I understand it's more like "nerve freeze". the cold does something wacky with your nerves, thus causing the pain.

Answer 7

I wouldn't call it a problem, but yes something physically happens to your body. What a better question is why is it so hard to resist?