What is "Brain Freeze"? (1 Viewer)

[Richard Travale]

A friend and I were at DQ yesterday enjoying sundaes. My friend looked up and asked "what the hell is brain freeze anyway?". I did not have a clue so I figured I would tap the world's most intelligent on-line community and ask them.
That didn't work so I decided to post here , Just kidding.
So, what is brain freeze?

 

[Malcolm R]

Also known as "ice cream headache," check this out.

 

[Holadem]

Strange question. Are you asking how it works or what it is - which implies you've never experienced it?

Reminds me of something I did when I was 7: I had never had a headache in my life. So I asked around, and every one was amazed that I never experienced such a common thing. I then took it upon myself to find out, by banging my head agaisnt a wall. It worked.

That is my useless post of the day.

--
Holadem

 

[Malcolm R]

My father claims to have never experienced heartburn. I think he's lying.

 

[Holadem]

I don't think I have either :b

I grew up with spicy food, so that will definitly not do it.

--
Holadem

 

[Grant B]

It's that .......uuuuummmmmmmmm
DDDDDDDDOOOOOOOOHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Seth Paxton]

I find the pain strangly compelling and enjoyable. Hurts like hell but I can't wait to go back for more.

 

[KyleS]

Watch Shallow Hal and it will give you an idea when she is sucking down that milkshake. THe link that Malcolm gave it pretty darn good. If you have not experienced it and want to go to your local 7-Eleven or DQ and get a large Slurpee or ICY. Suck it all down as fast as you can then tell us how it felt
KyleS

 

[Daren Welsh]

Make sure to press the ice-cold liquid up against the roof of your mouth.

Then ... to get rid of it, press your tongue up against the roof of your mouth. The warmth of your tongue will help relieve the cold sensation that causes the reaction.

 

[Kolya]

I have a hunch it's a west coast thing. I had never heard of brainfreeze until I moved out to California a couple years ago. I grew up in Ohio and NH, and never experienced anything that would make me want to coin a term for.
My girlfriend has tried to afflict me with one on several occasions, but no dice.
I also never get headaches.

 

[Anthony Hom]

I think most of you are confusing the term brain freeze with the term "Ice Cream Headache".

The latter term is from eating too much ice cream products quickly, causing the temperature in your head to drop, thus causing blood vessels to constrict and creating a headache. Drinking warm water usually cures it, or as in the Simpsons, 10 cc of hot fudge, stat!

Brain Freeze is when there is something you know, like the name of your spouse and when you introduce them, you forget their name at that moment. Then your spouse has to tell you their name, which of course you know and get al embarrassed, etc.

 

[Michael Toguchi]

Brain Freeze is when there is something you know, like the name of your spouse and when you introduce them, you forget their name at that moment. Then your spouse has to tell you their name, which of course you know and get al embarrassed, etc

I have always considered that a "Brain Fart"

 

[Jeff Pryor]

Brain-lock.

 

[Richard Travale]

Strange question. Are you asking how it works or what it is

Trust me, I've had them. I was wanting to know what the physiological reason for them happening was.

 

[JasonK]

It's also the title of an excellent DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist compilation LP. They did a follow-up entitled Product Placement.

 

[Charles J P]

Yep, same here. Brain freeze is the same as an ice-cream headache. Speaking block is a brain fart. I subscribe to the "freezing of the sinuses" theory of brain freeze.

 

[John Spencer]

I always thought it was the nose demons clambering and clawing for their favorite treat. At least that was what my father always told me. Of course, he was wrong about being able to seal-kote a chicken, so this could be wrong too...

 

[Dave Morton]

I've always gotten a brain freeze when eating ice cream too fast. I don't think it's a west coast thing because I hear the phrase all the time in Chicago.

 

[Jeremy Illingworth]

I think I am especially sensitive to the phenomenon. It takes very little frozen drink (although never with ice cream) to get it going and no amount of pressing the tongue on the roof of my mouth cures it. It freqently causes my back to hurt as well.

jeremy

 

[Seth Paxton]

That's it, I'm heading to DQ tomorrow and doing some serious damage.
Brain Freeze is the Ice Cream Headache.
Brain Fart or Brain Lock is when you are struck dumb for a second.
I'm in Indy and grew up with the term, so its not just a West Coast thing.