3 min learnNew DelhiApr 3, 2026 09:02 PM IST
With summer season across the nook, chilly treats like ice cream and slushies are again in demand. However together with them comes a well-recognized and uncomfortable sensation, mind freeze! It’s that sudden, sharp ache within the brow that hits when one thing icy is consumed too rapidly.
Whereas it could really feel alarming, scientists say the phenomenon is nicely understood and has been studied intimately, together with in analysis printed within the journal BMJ.
What precisely is a mind freeze?
A mind freeze, often known as an ice cream headache, begins within the roof of the mouth. When one thing very chilly is positioned on this space, the realm rapidly cools down.
This fast change within the space causes the blood vessels to react. The blood vessels first constrict to preserve warmth. Then, nearly immediately, the blood vessels dilate once more because the physique makes an attempt to preserve warmth.
This fast change within the blood vessels is what causes the ache. Analysis, together with a examine printed within the BMJ, has discovered that that is the physique’s pure try at sustaining a gentle temperature.
What does the ache really feel like?
The ache from a mind freeze is felt on the brow somewhat than the realm the place the chilly was utilized. It is because the nerves within the head are wired this fashion.
The nerve that’s particularly essential for that is the trigeminal nerve. It’s a nerve that’s essential for the face. It’s divided into three branches, two of which run throughout the face and the brow.
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This results in what scientists name “referred ache”, the place discomfort is felt in a distinct location from the place it begins. Analysis in BMJ has linked this mechanism to how mind freeze mimics the feeling of a brief, intense headache.
Who’s extra prone to get it?
Some individuals expertise mind freeze extra typically than others. Analysis has indicated that individuals who undergo from migraines might be extra delicate to mind freeze since each circumstances have an effect on the identical nerve.
The truth that the nerve is affected in the identical method signifies that individuals who undergo from migraines may expertise mind freeze extra rapidly.
How lengthy does it final? And how are you going to cease it?
The excellent news is that mind freeze is innocent. It solely lasts for about 30 to 60 seconds. It’s merely the way in which the physique reacts to chilly temperatures.
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One of the simplest ways to keep away from mind freeze is to eat or drink chilly objects at a slower tempo. Taking small quantities of chilly objects provides the mouth time to regulate to the chilly temperature.
Should you do expertise mind freeze, you possibly can cease it rapidly by warming the roof of your mouth. You are able to do this by urgent your tongue towards the highest of your mouth or taking a heat drink.
It’s not nice, however mind freeze is solely a sign that the physique is working correctly to maintain the mind protected from excessive temperature adjustments.
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