What Causes ‘Brain Freeze?’

Many people who enjoy ice cream are familiar with “brain freeze,” a mind-numbing headache that can be caused by eating frozen treats. Scientists are still not entirely sure what causes the feeling, but they have some theories.

The phenomenon of headaches caused by ice cream has been written about in medical literature since at least the 1850s. The International Headache Society formally recognized the condition, which it called “cold stimulus headache,” in 1988. The 2013 revision of the International Classification of Headache Disorders said the pain is triggered when a cold stimulus is applied to the head or mouth and subsides quickly after the stimulus is removed.

Cold stimulus headaches typically occur just behind the forehead, but they can also occur near the ears or behind the eyes. The pain is usually intense, stabbing, and unpleasant, albeit short-lived.

The scientific name for these headaches is sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia, or nerve pain in the sphenopalatine ganglion, a bundle of nerves that transmit sensations from the palate (roof of the mouth) to the brain. Scientists believe the pain is caused by dilation and constriction of blood vessels that occur in response to a cold stimulus. The body sends warm blood to the brain to counteract the effects of the cold. The rapid change in blood flow could be the cause of the pain.

Eating ice cream fast increases the likelihood of getting a headache. A cold stimulus that passes quickly over the palate raises the chance of getting a headache.

Some scientists believe ice cream headaches could be a sub-type of migraines because both are caused by disordered responses to sensory stimuli. The widening and narrowing of blood vessels associated with ice cream headaches could also be the cause of some migraines. Others think ice cream headaches are a type of “referred pain” in which a stimulus in one area causes pain in another.

While scientists do not fully understand the link between ice cream headaches and migraines, it is widely accepted. Studies have found that people who suffer from migraines are more likely to get ice cream headaches than those who do not get headaches regularly.

If you get brain freeze, you don’t need to give up ice cream. The back end of the palate is most likely to produce pain. You can try to avoid having cold foods touch that area.

Other things besides cold foods and beverages can cause headaches. For example, people who surf in the winter and ice skate often get headaches.