Summertime means water ice, popsicles – and ice-cream headaches.
Also popularly known as brain freeze, and by the more clinical phrase cold-stimulus headache, the phenomenon is familiar to many of us. The sudden, intense pain in the forehead or both sides of the temple occurs when ingesting cold foods or drinks too quickly. Although the head throbs as a result, it's usually for less than five minutes, and the condition isn't serious, according to headache specialists.
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But research on the cause of cold-stimulus headaches is relatively sparse compared to other headache disorders partly because ice-cream headaches don't last very long and are hard to study, according to a 2023 review of research. Most likely, the phenomenon occurs when something cold touches the roof of the mouth or the back of the throat, causing blood vessels to constrict and then to dilate rapidly, activating pain receptors, according to health experts.
People with a history of migraines are more likely to get brain freeze, according to research. One study found that cold-induced headaches occurred in 74% of participants who had migraines and in 32% of participants who had tension headaches.
Cold-stimulus headaches seem to be more common in children than adults, and more women seem to have them than men. People who have parents who experience ice-cream headaches also are more likely to have them, according to a 2016 study.
Waiting for an ice-cream headache to pass is the most typical way to get rid of one. Other techniques include drinking something warm or curling the tongue and pressing the "underside against the roof of the mouth," according to Harvard Health.
To prevent brain freeze, eat frozen treats slowly, sip cold drinks and milkshakes through narrow straws – or avoid icy foods and drinks altogether.
Fun facts about ice cream
The average American eats about 20 pounds of ice cream a year, according to the International Dairy Foods Association. Its 2024 novelty trends survey shows that America's favorite ice cream flavor is vanilla, with chocolate and strawberry coming in second and third.
Seventy-five percent of U.S. adults consider ice cream to be their "ultimate indulgence," according to a survey released by the National Frozen & Refrigerated Food Association in honor of July as National Ice Cream Month.