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BRAIN FREEZES.

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oldways On May 03, 2005




Practising Voodoo in, Haiti
#1New Post! Apr 03, 2005 @ 20:33:06
What they are and what causes them.

The terms brain freeze and ice cream headache refer to the same painful headache many people get when quickly eating something cold. The pain is caused by the rapid cooling of the roof of the mouth, which is close to the sphenopalatine nerve, a section of an extensive bundle of nerves running from the face up into the brain.



When this nerve gets cold, it fires off a danger signal that the entire head is about to become chilled and warns the vascular system to start pumping more blood to the brain to keep it warm. Vessels open up and the sudden in-rush of warm blood causes a painful sensation, which lasts anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. By that time the body has rewarmed the sphenopalantine nerve and the blood flow to the brain reduces to normal levels, stopping the pain.

The source of the pain has been described as being similar to that resulting from sticking hands chilled in winter into a bucket of warm water. The sudden increase in blood flow and associated expansion causes pain.

One third of all people are statistically susceptible to brain freezes. They more often caused by eating ice cream than drinking an iced beverage because ice cream is colder than ice. Also, they are much more common when the weather is warm than when it's cold, suggesting that it's the rate or amount of temperature change that's important.

Brain freezes are called "referred pain" because the pain occurs in a location (the brain) that's different than the location of the stimulus (the roof of the mouth.)

The quickest way to relieve a brain freeze it to take a drink of warm water and hold it against the roof of your mouth. Since they are over so quickly anyway and it's unlikely that you're going to be holding a cup of hot water in one hand at the same time that you are holding an ice cream cone in the other, the next best thing to do is press your tongue against the roof of your mouth to rewarm the nerve.

Prevention is simple: eat and drink very cold foods slowly.
misunderstood On June 24, 2014
Persuasive Madam!





How about you come find me....
#2New Post! Apr 03, 2005 @ 20:35:18
I always get them! I find McDonalds milkshakes are the worst thing with me
mib On December 25, 2007




Yuma, Arizona
#3New Post! Apr 03, 2005 @ 20:39:08
cold soda is the worst for me
misunderstood On June 24, 2014
Persuasive Madam!





How about you come find me....
#4New Post! Apr 03, 2005 @ 20:40:05
yea, it's interesting to know exactly why it happens tho 8)
steraw04 On December 12, 2007




Toronto, Canada
#5New Post! Apr 03, 2005 @ 23:34:45
hmmm...cool!
...no pun intended...
where do u get all this wealth of knowledge from?
dolphinluver16 On June 19, 2008




Cincinnati, Ohio
#6New Post! Apr 08, 2005 @ 19:52:42
I haven't had one of those in awhile . But they are horrible! Whenever I am eating ice cream or anything frozen, I try to eat it slowly and savor it so I won't be miserable. I got those a lot when I was younger and it was not fun!!!
unaprimae On February 05, 2007




Cebu, Philippines
#7New Post! Apr 11, 2005 @ 10:30:21
i love having brain freeze. it's like the physical manifestation of writer's block - replete with this painful sensation. i don't get to experience it anymore tho'.. now that am older. i do gulp down ice cream and slushes in big mouthfuls but i never get to feel it. could it be because am always angry, fiery red in anger that it would take more than ice cream to cool down the nerves?
sebringxxxlovr On May 14, 2005




santa maria, California
#8New Post! May 08, 2005 @ 08:23:18
oh yeah, putting your tounge up against the roof of your mouth totally works!! now do you have a cure for a brain fart? haha, just kidding..
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