The phenomenon, also known as ice creamheadache, occurs when a very cold substance touches the back of the palate,causing the rapid constriction and dilation of blood vessels in the head. According to some studies,this causes pain receptors to stimulate the trigeminal nerve, the major carrier of sensory information from the face to the brain, resulting in a stabbing pain in the face or head.
But it may not affect everyone. Researchers have found that only about a third of people experience it, and despite one common misconception stemming from early studies, it does not occur only on warm days.
In a report in the British journal BMJ in 2002, a scientist at McMaster University in Canada conducted a study involving 145 middle school students over two winter months. All— to their delight— were given moderate servings of ice cream. Some were randomly instructed to consume it slowly, while others were told to wolf it down in five seconds or less.
About 30 percent of students in the“accelerated eating” group developed the headache, compared with 13 percent in the“cautious eating” group.
“In contrast to previous studies,” the report said,“our results suggest that ice cream headache can be induced in cold weather even in subjects who eat their ice cream at a slow pace.”
Some studiesindicate that migraine sufferers may be more prone to these cold-induced headaches, thoughothers have disputed that finding.
THE BOTTOM LINEBrain freeze can occur in both warm and cold weather.
ANAHAD O’CONNOR
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