Brain Freeze

TerrorFirmer

What causes Brain freeze? I've never experienced it, and never can. I can drink a large Milkshake, eat a huge block of ice cream in one go, and apart from the obviously uncomfortable frozen throat, I have never experienced pain in my head, or brain as it is. I really want to know what it feels like - All my friends whine on about it when we're eating anything of the frozen variety.

What causes it? Whats a surefire way of getting Brainfreeze? Sorry about the oddity of this, but very curious...

pwd

brainfreeze.

Not surprised you never erxperienced it tbh

TerrorFirmer

Pwd, can I actually ask you why you felt the need to post that?

DrIndy

Be nice or be banned. Final warning.

Brain freeze is caused when you eat something cold and it cools the blood flowing to your head (NOT brain per se), this causes spasm of the arteries and is painful. I occasionally get it when being particularily greedy and it is dependent on how cold the food is that you are eating.

Panserborn

A few scoops of Ben and Jerrys get my head going. Don't really get it in the head though, I always get it behind my right eye. Think its something to do with the optic nerve.

While we're on the subject, does anyone know ways of speeding up the recovery after getting one?

Malafus

Panserborn wrote:

While we're on the subject, does anyone know ways of speeding up the recovery after getting one?

Supposedly if you press your tongue against the roof of your mouth very hard, the brain freeze will subside quicker. That technique also stops you from sneezing (and that one I can confirm).

TerrorFirmer

Thanks.....what I'm curious to know is exactly what causes it - and really just curious as to why I can't seem to be affected by it - I know some people have stronger resistances then others to certain things but I would have thought in the instances of Brainfreeze that would not be applicable

Malafus

It's supposed to be caused by the difference in temperature between your skull and jaw... I have no idea why, but it seems to fit, as the pain is usually right between your temples, i.e. along the line where the jaw-bone meets the skull.

Maybe the contraction of bone due to the cold

I suppose if that were the case, then people with different facial structures would experience brainfreeze at different levels of severity.

optiplexgx270

Eat or drink ice cream / milk shake as fast as you can and you should get one, and i mean shove in scoops of ice cream the size of tennis balls. If this fails go to a country where the temp is say 30-40degrees C and do the same in a non air conditioned environment for best effect .

deisemum

Malafus wrote:

Supposedly if you press your tongue against the roof of your mouth very hard, the brain freeze will subside quicker. That technique also stops you from sneezing (and that one I can confirm).

Yep that seems to work but press your tongue to the back of the roof of your mouth

Siogfinsceal

I get it if I get a cold smoothie from Zumo and guzzle it quickly- its sooooo sore serves me right for being greedy ;-)