Brain freeze, also known as ice cream headache or cold stimulus headache, is a brief but intense pain in the front part of the head that occurs when you eat, drink, or breathe something extremely cold. The exact cause of brain freeze is not fully understood, but it is believed to be caused by the rapid constriction and then dilation of blood vessels in the roof of the mouth and back of the throat. This sudden change in size of the blood vessels can activate the trigeminal nerve, which carries sensory information from the face and head to the brain, and cause pain.

Some people may be more susceptible to brain freeze than others, and children may be more likely to get it because they may not have learned to slow down when eating something cold and fun like an ice pop. People who get migraine headaches may also be more prone to brain freeze.

To prevent brain freeze, it is recommended to avoid sudden, extreme temperature changes in the mouth, throat, and head by eating and drinking cold things slowly, using a barrier against cold air, and avoiding freezing food, drinks, and air. If you do get brain freeze, you can try drinking a warm or room-temperature liquid, pressing your tongue or thumb against the roof of your mouth to transfer warmth, or removing the cold trigger and warming up the roof of your mouth. Brain freeze usually goes away on its own within a few seconds to two minutes, without the need for medicine or rest.