Also known as an ice-cream headache, this sudden stabbing pain occurs as a result of the temperature change in the mouth. When the body senses that sudden change, the blood vessels in the roof of your mouth contract in an effort to prevent heat loss. When the temperature returns to normal, a sudden opening of blood vessels makes blood rush to the brain, causing that “brain freeze” pain, says Dr Intazar Basher, pain specialist at the Lincoln County Hospital
The fix: To prevent the pain, allow cold substances to melt on the tongue before moving them around the mouth and eating them. Or, when you feel the “freeze” coming on, press your tongue to the roof of the mouth to reduce cold exposure.
