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What causes "brain freeze"?

By AB-Joel Asked Sep 13 2004 3:50PM
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Answer 11 out of 46

by Firebrand on Jul 13, 2009 at 1:50 pm Permalink

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Nerves, Tiredness

Or it could just be I have a ditz moment.
Answer originally posted in response to What gives you a brain freeze?
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Avatar Firebrand Jul, 13 2009 at 02:00 PM
LOL you have seen my friend TJ. I was not about last night so did not see her. She is a nut :) Squishing me all the time :)
Avatar ANNONYMOUS Jul, 13 2009 at 02:19 PM
I think she takes turns stalking people.
Avatar Firebrand Jul, 13 2009 at 02:23 PM
I think she just stalks everyone at once :)

Answer 12 out of 46

by Alatea on Oct 21, 2005 at 4:00 pm Permalink

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This answer was last edited on: Jan 28, 2006
Brain Freeze

“While ice cream headaches are usually benign and brief, migraines are occasionally triggered by the cold stimulus.

Ice cream headache has been studied as an example of referred pain. Experimenting on himself, Smith characterised the features of the headache. Applying crushed ice to the palate, he found that ipsilateral temporal and orbital pain developed 20-30 seconds later. Bilateral pain occurred when the stimulus was applied in the midline. The headache could be elicited only in hot weather; attempts to reproduce the pain during the winter were unsuccessful, even with use of a cold stimulus of the same temperature. Bird et al found a similar relation with respect to site of application of the cold substance and ipsilateral occurrence of the resultant pain. Some of their subjects also experienced an associated toothache.

Raskin has suggested that ice cream headache may represent a model of migraine, in that both encompass disordered thresholds to sensory stimuli. It would be of interest to determine whether antimigraine drugs that modulate serotonergic pathways have any effect on ice cream headache.
No treatment is usually required, and sufferers rarely seek medical attention. Since the posterior aspect of the palate is most likely to produce the referred pain of ice cream headache, avoiding contact of the cold food with this area can effectively eliminate the symptoms. Most people arrive at such preventive measures without the advice of doctors. Ice cream abstinence is not indicated. “

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/314/7091/1364
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Answer 13 out of 46

by Halskiisaklink on Jun 30, 2007 at 4:45 am Permalink

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Richard Simmons.
...
Nah, really, lol. When the cold matter enters your mouth (or the back of your mouth), your body responds to the sudden drop in temperature by constricting your blood vessels to increase blood flow and minimize heat loss. The blood vessels then stop being constricted and this release is interpreted by the brain as pain, giving you the unique sensation. Hope this helps.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_freeze
Answer originally posted in response to What causes brain freeze?
What causes "brain freeze"?: by AB-Joel : Picture 1
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Avatar Dreamworx Apr, 14 2009 at 10:32 AM
Reason for the Richard Simmons picture? (+2)
Avatar Halskiisaklink Apr, 14 2009 at 11:07 AM
Because he damn well exists.
Avatar Dreamworx Apr, 15 2009 at 04:37 AM
Lol good point :)

Answer 14 out of 46

by Chopsy the Diver on Jun 30, 2007 at 4:40 am Permalink

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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. The body's response to cold environments is to vasoconstrict the peripheral vasculature (to reduce the diameter of blood vessels). This vasoconstriction is in place to reduce blood flow to the area, and thus minimize heat loss to keep warmth in the body. After vasoconstriction, they return to normal status and artery size results in massive dilation (vasodilation) of the arteries that supply the palate (descending palatine arteries). The nerves in the region of the palate (greater and lesser palatine nerves) sense this as pain and transmit the sensation of this pain back to the trigeminal ganglia. This results in pain that is referred to the forehead and below the orbit, other regions from which the trigeminal nerve receives sensation (This phenomenon is partially similar to the referred pain that is present in the left arm when someone is having a myocardial infarction). 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 within 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 regions :)
Answer originally posted in response to What causes brain freeze?
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Avatar Highlander is semi-retired from AB Jun, 30 2007 at 04:45 AM
Thanks for your response.
Avatar Chopsy the Diver Jun, 30 2007 at 04:46 AM
Your welcome :D found question quite interesting so thankYOU!

Answer 15 out of 46

by edong23 on Dec 26, 2006 at 9:31 am Permalink

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it is the blood in your neck getting cold and going to the brain. the only time i get brain freeze is when i swollow alot of ice cream and it goes down slow. nothing to do with the roof of my mouth at all. i could get brain freeze without anything touching the roof. but if you put your hands on your neck and warm the blood going to the brain it goes away.
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Answer 16 out of 46

by Big B on Jan 30, 2009 at 5:27 pm Permalink

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I don't have a brain, so I don't have to worry about brain freeze...
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Answer 17 out of 46

by hunnieechen on Aug 18, 2009 at 4:22 am Permalink

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This is my research assignment to my N104 subject... It is commonly experienced when applying to the roof of the mouth (palate) or when swallowing it.Typically the headache appears in about 10 seconds and lasts about 20 seconds although some people experience much longer lapses of pain, with the pain seeming to relate to the same side of the head as the cold substance was applied to the palate, or to both sides of the head in the case of swallowing. The most effective way to prevent it is to consume the cold food or liquid at a slower rate. Keeping it in one's mouth long enough for the palate to become used to the temperature is also an effective preventative.
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Answer 18 out of 46

by Jaina20 on Apr 20, 2009 at 4:51 pm Permalink

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I know someone who has false teeth and anything cold doesn't touch the roof of her mouth ever but she still gets brain freeze.
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Answer 19 out of 46

by raylrodr on Feb 10, 2009 at 6:09 pm Permalink

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Those screaming blue slusshies are a brain cell killer if I have ever encountered one.
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Answer 20 out of 46

by tomeygirl on Feb 10, 2009 at 6:09 pm Permalink

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Drinking a grape slush from the Sonic! Very good though,the slush I mean.
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