DEFINITION Ice-cream headache occurs in brief, attack the head when you eat or drink something cool. Ice pops, frozen liquid beverages, ice cream and other foods and beverages that give the effect of "brain freeze"
SYMPTOMS
Ice cream headache symptoms are:
• Sharp, stabbing pain in the head of the front
• The peak of the pain occurs in about 30-60 seconds after the beginning
• The pain is rarely longer than 5 minutes
Causes & Risk Factors
Cause
Ice cream headaches are caused by cold material moved from the rear roof of the mouth and throat, which happens when you eat the ice cream quickly or sip a cool drink. Scientists still are not sure about the exact mechanisms that cause pain.
One theory suggests that the cold food or drink is swallowed when the change of blood flow in the brain for a while. Some scientists suspect that the pain caused by mouth-to-head via the trigeminal nerve, which deliver information from the sensor head and mouth to the head.
Risk factors
Ice cream headaches can affect anyone. But it may be more susceptible if you have a tendency to migraine. Ice cream headaches are also more common in people who have headaches.
Prevention
To help prevent ice cream headaches, eating cold food and drink slowly. The only way to avoid an ice cream headache is to avoid cold foods or beverages that cause ice cream headaches.