We probably find it hard to believe that something as tasty as ice cream or your favorite cold drink could be pain-inducing substances, but enjoying those first few scoops of an ice cold drink or ice cream too quickly could cause a sudden, stabbing pain in the forehead. known as “brain freeze”.
The pain of brain frostbite can begin within seconds of being exposed to cold temperatures, and the intensity of the pain rises very quickly, in just a few seconds.
Why it happens?
Brain frostbite, also called an “ice cream headache”, is known in medical terms as a “cold stimulus headache .” It is a common phenomenon that affects people of all ages, but doctors are not quite sure why it happens.
For this type of headache, the main trigger is any type of exposure to a significantly low temperature ; That is, it is not only caused by an internal trigger, such as eating ice cream too quickly; It can also be caused by an external cause, such as going outside without a hat on a cold day or diving into a very cold lake or pool.
Brain frostbite can start when a very cold substance (food or air, for example) hits the roof of the mouth or the back of the throat and stimulates the blood vessels and nerves in these temperature-sensitive areas.
A small study presented in 2012 found that the sudden increase in blood flow and the resulting increase in the size of the anterior cerebral artery, a blood vessel located in the center of the brain behind the eyes, may be responsible for brain frostbite pain. .
The study found that when the patients’ brain freeze ended, the artery constricted and reduced blood flow, likely causing the pain to go away. The researchers said they suspect that increased pressure within the skull, caused by increased blood flow to the head, is causing the pain.
Another possible explanation for brain frostbite is that a cold sensation activates an important nerve in the head and face, known as the trigeminal nerve . Once the trigeminal nerve is activated, the blood vessels within the head contract momentarily and then rapidly dilate or widen, causing a sudden sensation of pain.
When the cold stimulus is removed, the blood vessels return to their normal size and the pain tends to disappear. Despite its catchy name, “brain freeze” does not cause permanent damage and is not life-threatening.
What are the symptoms?
According to an article published in The British Medical Journal , the onset of a headache occurs within 30-60 seconds of exposure to cold. There is an intense and stabbing pain in the forehead and temples, but it is a pain that disappears in a few seconds – or a few minutes – from when it appears.
This pain is most intense in the forehead but can spread to the temples and the back of the head. There are people who feel a throbbing or aching pain and others may perceive it as throbbing or throbbing pain. People with migraines are the most prone to brain frostbite and associated throbbing pain.
How can we prevent it?
There is no need to treat it , but if you are prone to this harmless headache, the best way to prevent it is to slow down the rate at which we consume cold or frozen food and beverages and keep colder substances away from the upper palate.
Referencia: Changes in brain’s blood flow could cause ‘brain freeze’ . American Physiological Society (APS) 2012 / Ice cream headache BMJ 1997; 314 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.314.7091.1364 (Published 10 May 1997) Cite this as: BMJ 1997;314:1364
