"The Ronan Report" provides insight about the activities at the Western Maryland Health System in Cumberland, Maryland, and about the changes taking place in healthcare today from a CEO's perspective.

Monday, April 23, 2012

A Major Scientific Breakthrough

I read this morning that scientists have a major breakthrough in identifying the cause of brain freeze.  Ever since I was a little kid I, have been plagued by brain freeze while eating ice cream or drinking an exceedingly cold drink.  I am sure that most of us get brain freeze, but some worse than others.  I think that I am in the "worse" category.  I have to stay away from really cold drinks like frozen strawberry daiquiris; you can feel my pain (pun intended). 

What is really remarkable is the link between brain freeze and migraine headaches.  For centuries, a mystery as to cause of migraines, but now a better understanding due to brain freeze research.  According to scientists, the pain associated with brain freeze results from an increased blood flow to the brain increasing the size of the anterior cerebral artery, which is a large blood vessel located in the middle of your head behind the eyes.  When the blood vessel constricts, the pain immediately goes away.  The answer for migraines may be in the drugs that are available to stop the blood vessels from opening up.  Not having migraines is a blessing because I know how debilitating they can be for those who suffer with them.  All in all, great news for migraine sufferers.  Brain freeze sufferers, not so much.

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