Do you get "brain freeze" when you drink something really cold too fast?
By mentalward
@mentalward (14690)
United States
July 5, 2008 1:39am CST
Ooh, man! I do! 
I tend to do it all the time, even though I've had enough experience to know that I should drink slower! Ice cream does the same thing. Have you experienced this phenomenon?
My husband has never gotten it! He's even proven it by drinking ice water really fast with no affect!! He's just plain weird in my opinion (even though I love him dearly)! LOL
I tend to do it all the time, even though I've had enough experience to know that I should drink slower! Ice cream does the same thing. Have you experienced this phenomenon?
My husband has never gotten it! He's even proven it by drinking ice water really fast with no affect!! He's just plain weird in my opinion (even though I love him dearly)! LOL4 people like this
19 responses
@abhi_destar (764)
• India
5 Jul 08
You are right on the point. I simply quit drinking cold chocolate when I started having such a symptom, feeling that my brain will be damaged by drinking it. When I used to drink it, an odd sort of frozen pain started to grow in my head which subsided a little after I stopped. It really frightened me. But you've shown that this is natural, it happens for every person (your hubby may be a superhuman, I don't know, LOL!!). But still, I won't be drinking it again. It really hurts more than I enjoy it.
1 person likes this
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
5 Jul 08
I agree! It hurts more than it's worth! Still, when I've been outside gardening and come in hot, sweaty and really thirsty, I always head straight for the cold water and that pain hits right between the eyebrows! Ouch!!!!
@Angelwriter (1954)
• United States
5 Jul 08
Every time I drink slushes. I always forget, because they taste so good, I end up drinking them really fast, and then I have to recover.
1 person likes this
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
5 Jul 08
Ah, yes... slushes! I think they are the worst for giving 'brain freeze'! LOL
So yummy, but so painful!
@Grandmaof2 (7578)
• Canada
5 Jul 08
I have never got brain freeze either but it hits me in the same place a gall bladder will attack if you know where that is. It's not hitting the gall bladder because I had it removed in 1980. Scary thought maybe I don't have a brain either. hahaha Take care my friend.
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
5 Jul 08
They sure are! I adore my little white "shadows". They are constantly following me around. They are so precious!
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
5 Jul 08
Oh, yes! I know where the gall bladder is! When I was pregnant with my youngest son, as soon as he was large enough, he planted his feet right on my bladder and his head pressed against my gall bladder. He did a lot of stretching, too! Ouch!!!!! I'd get intense pain in my gall bladder and have to run to the bathroom or else wet my pants! I knew that kid was trouble even before he was born. LOL
It's funny how something so tasty can hurt so much! I've heard that 'brain freeze' is caused by the extreme cold affecting the same nerves as those affected by a migraine. I believe it!!!
I can see you have a brain, though... your avatar of that sweet little Maltese! Anyone who has a Maltese is highly intelligent... I'd say maybe having an I.Q. of well over 200. I have two Maltese. Maybe that makes my I.Q. around 400? (Just kidding, of course. 
)
)
@blackbriar (9075)
• United States
7 Jul 08
I don't get brain freeze. I get chest freeze instead but only when eating ice cream too fast. Man it hurts! I can't breathe when that happens.
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
8 Jul 08
I've had that happen, too! That happens when you eat something very cold too fast for it to get down your esophagus fast enough and ends up "freezing" it (your esophagus), kind of like indigestion only instead of food hurting there, it's the cold of the ice cream.
I actually had brain freeze yesterday! My hubby and I went to Denny's for dinner after I took him to see his doctor and I always have to get one of their milkshakes. (They make the best milkshakes!!!) Of course, I had to drink it too fast because it's so good, and got brain freeze twice! LOL
@sutanhartanto (4122)
• Indonesia
5 Jul 08
hi mentalward,
i mostly experienced it when i drink something cold too fast. well, actually i can't drink extremely cold beverages. your husband is great. maybe he has an iceman's blood in him 
sorry just kidding..
sorry just kidding..
@successlog (3172)
• China
5 Jul 08
hello friend
I also have this experience.when i have some ice cream/cold water too fast,I really can get a brain freeze occasionaly.It is really cool with my whole body shivering in a flash.This feeling is really unforgotten to me.
have a good day, good luck.
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
5 Jul 08
Yep, cold things are so tasty on really hot days, but we pay for them!
I wish I knew what it is about my husband never experiencing it! His sister is the same way. Something unusual in his genetic makeup, I suppose. I wish I had it! LOL
Take care!
@evlo173 (434)
• United States
6 Jul 08
yes,I have gotten brain freeze from eating ice cream or very cold water.It only lasts for a few seconds,then I would finish drinking the water.
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
6 Jul 08
I used to get the brain freeze
all the time when I was
a kid. Like when I would
drink a Pepsi too fast.
That was the worst.
Felt like my brain would fall
out of my nose. It hurt that bad!
Now if I get brain freeze it turns
into a migraine and that's way worse!
@liquorice (3887)
•
6 Jul 08
Yes, I get this when I've drinking really cold water, frozen drinks or from ice lollies. I don't like it, and have stopped having ice in my drinks. I was shocked when I went to the US a few years ago that ice comes as standard when you have a cold drink, and I always had to ask for things without ice!
To me when this happens it feels as if my brain has frozen, or it has a cold and I sometimes get a headache. Not nice!!
@blackmantra_x (2732)
• Philippines
6 Jul 08
good day...Yes, I experienced brain freeze once or twice and it really makes me nervous sometimes. I can't explain what it felt like but really weird.
@onetrackmind (104)
• United States
7 Jul 08
in the same boat here, as you...and it hurrrrtttttttsssss!
@selece (2357)
• Philippines
6 Jul 08
Haha! Same here, my friend. I love drinking shakes and ice-cold coffee. I usually indulge over my favorite drinks that I drink in a hasty manner. And then boom! "Brain freeze" ! haha. And it hurts a lot. I pause for a while to gasp for relief and then I go again for another dose of brain-freezing action. LoL. I never learn my lesson. Hehe. Wow, I don't know people who do not get that thing, that's pretty cool, to be immune to it.
@Lavender_Breeze (373)
• United States
6 Jul 08
Yes, and it is painful! But you can stop it pretty quickly by pressing your thumb against the roof of your mouth. Try it next time and see if it doesn't help it pass faster.
@wisedragon (2325)
• Philippines
5 Jul 08
Yes it happens to me. It lasts only a few seconds but boy does it hurt!
I don't get it with ice water though, which is good because I love ice water.
@green4success (80)
• United States
5 Jul 08
Yes, mentalward. I have experienced "brainfreeze" lots of times and it really hurts. I don't get it drinking water, but if I drink a frozen drink of any kind, I always do. It tastes so good, I can't help myself. (LOL) My favorite is a Frapaccino from Starbucks or Seattle Drip. I am addicted to those things, especially this time of year when it is so hot here in the South. The first time I told my husband I had "brainfreeze" he laughed at me so hard. He had never heard that expression. He now has experienced it as well, and I now can laugh at him. We have a good time with it.
@crazy_ol_lady (1014)
• United States
6 Jul 08
Hi mentalward,
As a child it was a pastime for us to see who could get brain freeze first. We did it because we thought it was funny to see each other's reactions. Kids!!
I usually get brain freeze when I eat ice cream, or drink a slushee.
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
6 Jul 08
hi mentalward oh myyes I often glup down a cold drink or
eat my ice cream cone too fast, and the pain wow, its
absolutely horrible.My husband never did get that but mykids both would get it if they ate cold ice cream too fast.
I always feel so foolish when I do as I also know better
than to gulp down coldstuff ice cream is really bad that
way. lol
@sunnflr (2767)
• United States
5 Jul 08
My son has brain freeze's quite often, almost every time he eats ice cream. We saw something on TV about it and they said only certain people get them. Something to do with the nerves in your head I think it was. My husband and I never get them.
