Brain Freezes and Hiccups: Why Our Bodies Glitch
Almost everyone has felt the sudden, sharp ache in their forehead after slurping a frozen drink too fast on a hot summer day. You might also know the annoying "hic!" sound of a hiccup that suddenly interrupts you during class. While both sensations feel strange and uncomfortable, they are completely normal and harmless body reactions. By learning how our nerves and muscles work together, we can understand why these funny body glitches happen and how to stop them.
What Is a Brain Freeze?
The scientific name for a brain freeze is sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia. It happens when you eat or drink something very cold, such as ice cream or a frozen slushie, too quickly. Even though we call it a brain freeze, your actual brain does not freeze at all! In fact, the brain itself cannot feel pain because it does not have pain sensors. Instead, the chilly feeling starts at the roof of your mouth, which is called the palate.
- palate:
- The roof of the mouth separating the mouth cavity from the nasal cavity.
- constrict:
- To become narrower, tighter, or smaller.
- referred pain:
- Pain that is felt in a different part of the body from where the problem or stimulus actually started.
- diaphragm:
- A large, dome-shaped sheet of muscle beneath the lungs that helps you breathe.
- involuntary:
- Happening automatically without conscious thought or control.
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- 1What is the scientific name for a brain freeze?
- 2Why does the brain itself not feel pain during a brain freeze?
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About this informational passage for 5th Grade
“Brain Freezes and Hiccups: Why Our Bodies Glitch” is a informational reading passage about Human Physiology, written for 5th Grade. It takes about 4 minutes to read (625 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.