Why Do Some People Get Brain Freeze From Cold Drinks?

You take a large gulp of an ice-cold drink and, seconds later, a sharp pain shoots across your forehead. It can feel as though your brain itself has suddenly become painfully cold, but that is not what is happening. Known medically as a cold-stimulus headache , brain freeze is a short-lived reaction triggered by sudden cold exposure in the mouth or throat. It is common, usually harmless and often disappears almost as quickly as it arrives. Scientists are still refining the exact details of the process, but the basic mechanism involves nerves, blood vessels and the body's response to a rapid change in temperature.