What actually happens when you get a brain freeze?

Question

You know what I mean. You get a nice cold smoothie, you take a huge gulp, then you get that painful feeling in your head. What actually happens in your body that prompts this event?

Answer 1

Brain freeze, ice cream headache, freezie, or Frozen Brain Syndrome are terms used to describe a form of cranial pain or headache which people are known to sometimes experience after consuming cold beverages or foods such as ice cream, often as a result of rapid consumption.

The reaction can be sometimes triggered within a few seconds after a very cold substance consumed comes into contact with the roof of the mouth. This activates nerves in the region (sphenopalatine ganglia), causing the blood vessels in the brain to dilate. When vessels in the brain dilate, a common effect is an acute headache. A similar effect occurs when one takes a prescription vasodilator, such as Nitroglycerin or Viagra. It is a stabbing or aching type of pain that usually recedes after 10–20 seconds after its onset, but sometimes 30–60 seconds, and can persist for up to five minutes in rare cases. The pain is usually located in the midfrontal area, but can be unilateral in the temporal, frontal, or retro-orbital region.

Answer 2

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RE:
What actually happens when you get a brain freeze?
You know what I mean. You get a nice cold smoothie, you take a huge gulp, then you get that painful feeling in your head. What actually happens in your body that prompts this event?

Answer 3

I agree with ubilla ma about the cause of "Brain Freeze." The way to avoid it is to prevent cold substances from contacting the roof of your mouth and taking small bites.

Answer 4

your brain acually freezes.What happens is all that coldness comes to your head and the reason that it freezes is because your brain is not use to it.

Answer 5

instead of give a book on the answer its easy, the brian get shocked by the cold of what ever your eating and in hurt till it warms back up

Answer 6

the roof of your mouth gets too cold. push your tongye to your roof of month until it warms and passes.