# Ice Cream Headaches

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-cream-headaches/201654>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 15, 2003, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-cream-headaches/201654 "2003-09-15T00:56:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![gypsymoth3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@gypsymoth3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gypsymoth3)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2003, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-cream-headaches/201654/1 "2003-09-15T00:56:16Z")

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i read in Readers Digest that ice cream headaches are caused by having such a cold substance as ice cream on the roof of your mouth and that drinking warm water would help cure them. but how does something cold on the roof of your mouth give you a headache?

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**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2003, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-cream-headaches/201654/2 "2003-09-15T01:01:26Z")

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The nerves in your palate are sensitive to extreme changes in temperature. When exposed to the extreme, clinging cold of ice cream and similar substances, the nerves respond and the sensation of that response is the pain of the ice cream headache.

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**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-cream-headaches/201654/3 "2003-09-15T01:36:07Z")

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Cecil:

[What causes “ice cream headache”?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_126.html)

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**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2003, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-cream-headaches/201654/4 "2003-09-15T04:51:43Z")

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The only quick and effective cure for an ice cream headache (AKA “brain freeze”), is to place the heel of your right palm onto your carotid artery (at the right side of your throat). This will warm the blood arriving to your brain and prevent most of the pain. It works exceptionally well and requires nothing else except remembering to do it.