Have you ever gotten a stubborn brain freeze that wouldn’t go away? It’s summertime, and usually that means a lot of ice cream for everyone to balance the hot summer heat. It's common to get a brain freeze after eating something cold.
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What is a brain freeze?
A brain freeze is usually caused when you eat something very cold, like ice cream, and you get pain around your forehead. The science behind it is interesting. Everyone has a certain body temperature that they maintain naturally. When you eat something cold, it lowers this temperature and tissue, specifically when it touches near the roof of the mouth and back of the throat. This causes the blood vessels around these areas to rapidly constrict or squeeze. The pain usually comes after eating the ice cream, and this is because once the cold feeling goes away, the blood vessels open up fast, causing pain to occur due to stimulating pain receptors and also nearby nerves.
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How Can We Mitigate/Stop The Pain
To get rid of this pain, some common strategies include lifting your tongue to the roof of the mouth and pressing up or using your thumb, although using your tongue is much easier. You can also drink warm water to mitigate the pain. In order to fully stop the brain freeze from occurring, you should pace yourself when eating and take smaller bites, even though you may want to finish the treat fast!
Multiple Causes
Although ice cream is the most well-known and associated cause of brain freezes, it can be caused by eating or drinking anything cold or even breathing in cold air. To prevent breathing in cold air, simply wear a scarf and cover your nose during those cold months.
Hopefully with these simple strategies and tips, you not only learned how brain freezes work, but you can know how to prevent it and enjoy your favorite cold treats during the summer!
🍦 Click here for a recipe to make your own ice cream at home!
References
“Brain Freeze: What It Is, Symptoms, Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic, 15 Feb. 2021, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21478-brain-freeze. Accessed 23 June 2026.
“Feel the Freeze: What Happens during Brain Freeze.” Feel the Freeze: What Happens during Brain Freeze, 2026, baycare.org/wellness-resources/healthy-living-tips/feel-the-freeze-what-happens-during-brain-freeze. Accessed 23 June 2026.
“How to Ease Brain Freeze.” Www.hopkinsmedicine.org, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/how-to-ease-brain-freeze. Accessed 23 June 2026.
