What Causes Brain Freeze?

Brain freeze, also known as cold-stimulus headache or sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia, is a phenomenon triggered by the rapid cooling of the roof of the mouth or the back of the throat. Ice cream and frozen drinks are common culprits. Upon exposure to cold, blood vessels in the palate suddenly constrict, a response that is detected by surrounding nerves. In particular, when irritated by vessel constriction, branches of the trigeminal nerve, the major cranial nerve that provides...