Brain Freeze!
The intense headache that comes with devouring ice cream is a signal that your body is protecting itself. Your body is afraid it's going to freeze to death!
When cold material moves quickly across the roof of the mouth, the nerves there respond as if the rest of the body also will freeze, and tell your blood vessels the brain might be in danger.
In order to protect your brain, the blood vessels near the mouth constrict, which force an intense rush of blood to your brain. The increased blood pressure, meant to ensure that your brain stays warm, causes a headache.Ice cream headaches, sometimes called brain freeze, last less than a minute.
To get rid of the ache quickly, rub your tongue across the roof of your mouth to create some heat. The sooner your mouth warms up, the sooner your body’s defenses will back down so you can continue to enjoy your frosty treat.
Published 09/12/08
