PAIN MANAGEMENT Headache • Migraine headache • Tension headache • Cluster headache • Rebound headaches • Primary cough headaches • Ice cream headaches • Exercise headaches • External compression headaches • Spinal headaches • Thunderclap headaches • Sex headaches • Chronic daily headaches • Sinus headaches

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You know the feeling. One bite into an ice cream cone and you're struck with a stabbing headache. Ice pops, slushy frozen drinks, and other cold foods and drinks can have the same "brain freeze" effect.

But there's good news. Most ice cream headaches are gone in the time it would take you to say their medical name — "headache attributed to ingestion or inhalation of a cold stimulus."

Ice cream headaches cause sharp, stabbing pain in the forehead. The pain often peaks about 30 to 60 seconds after it begins. Ice cream headaches rarely last longer than a minute or two.

Ice cream headaches are caused by cold material moving across the roof of your mouth and the back of your throat, as happens when you eat ice cream quickly or gulp a cold drink. This may temporarily alter blood flow in your brain, causing a brief headache. Some researchers suspect that the pain is referred from the palate or teeth along the trigeminal nerve, which delivers sensory information from the face, teeth and tongue to the brain.

Ice cream headaches can affect anyone. But you may be more susceptible to ice cream headaches if you're prone to migraines.

Ice cream headaches don't pose any medical concerns. But it's a good idea to mention the headaches to your doctor — especially if the headaches are frequent or severe.

Ice cream headaches aren't associated with any complications.

Ice cream headaches rarely need treatment. Typically, the pain quickly disappears after the cold food or drink is swallowed.

To help prevent ice cream headaches, eat cold foods and drink cold beverages slowly. It also helps to warm up cold foods in the front of your mouth before swallowing. There's no need to avoid ice cream or other cold foods and drinks.