Brain Freeze - Know all about this condition

Doctor's are not sure what causes a brain freeze, but the popular consensus is that the cold substance hits the roof of the mouth or the back of the throat, which are temperature-sensitive areas. Here's what our expert physician, Dr Keller Wortham, has to say.

When you think about ice-cream, you don't generally associate it with pain do you? But the truth is that if you quickly eat just a few teaspoons of your favourite desert, it can, at times, cause a stabbing pain in your forehead. This pain is called brain freeze. This is not a serious condition and it generally lasts for only 2-3 minutes. According to our expert physician, Dr Keller Wortham, brain freeze can be caused within seconds of being exposed to extremely cold temperature. Understanding brain freeze is important because of how quickly the pain peaks. Doctor's are not sure what causes a brain freeze, but the popular consensus is that the cold substance hits the roof of the mouth or the back of the throat, which are temperature-sensitive areas. This stimulates blood vessels and nerves and increases blood circulation. This blood flows through the blood vessel located in the middle of the brain behind the eyes, causing brain freeze. The pain comes into the picture when the pressure in blood vessel reaches the skull. The best way to prevent a brain freeze is to slow down your consumption of ice-cold foods and drinks or by keeping cold substance away from your temperature-sensitive areas. You can do this by curling your tongue at the top of your mouth.