Headache, Ice Cream

Background

Most people have experienced that quick, intense flash of pain that comes from drinking an ice-cold drink or eating too much ice cream too fast. While the intense, immediate discomfort only lasts for about 30 to 60 seconds, the aftereffects can linger for up to five minutes.

These headaches can instantly cancel the pleasure of a cold beverage or food on a hot day.  The pain comes from the sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia, and is commonly called an ice-cream headache.

Treatments

To prevent an ice-cream headache, do the following:

• Take it easy on your hard palate (that’s the spot in the middle of the roof of the mouth). Minimize prolonged or frequent contact with anything very cold in that area. You can do this by:
• Keep cold foods more on the sides of your mouth, and if you do feel the start of a headache, wait awhile and let your tongue warm the hard palate up a little bit.
• Pace yourself instead of chugging it. For maximum enjoyment, enjoy your ice cream slowly and savor it!