# what is a "brain freeze"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-brain-freeze/25840>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 17, 2000, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-brain-freeze/25840 "2000-07-17T14:05:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![njk8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f9b8f/32.png) [@njk8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njk8)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-brain-freeze/25840/1 "2000-07-17T14:05:29Z")

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what is a brain freeze. by that i am refering to the times when your head hurts a lot when eating or drinking someting very cold. usually ice cream or water ice if you in philadelphia.

what is happening?  
why does it do this?

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**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-brain-freeze/25840/2 "2000-07-17T14:17:36Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by njk8 \*  
> \*\*  
> what is a brain freeze.  
> \*\*

It’s the subject of a [column by Cecil Adams](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_126.html).

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**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-brain-freeze/25840/3 "2000-07-17T18:21:27Z")

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A dessert you will _ **NEVER** _ see at Dairy Queen!