IBS caused by chronic pain from joints

@zimmerda
I have fibromyalgia. IBS and fibromyalgia are
usually mentioned together when discussing fibromyalgia.

@zimmerda @SusanEllen66 I too have fibromyalgia and IBS, and have been told there is a connection between the two.

Chronic joint pain does not directly cause IBS, but there is a well-recognized connection between chronic pain conditions and IBS.

Explanation:

IBS is considered a disorder of the gut–brain axis. Chronic pain—whether from joints, muscles, or nerves—can keep the nervous system in a prolonged stress state. This ongoing stress can affect gut motility, sensitivity, and inflammation, which may trigger or worsen IBS symptoms in some people.
Research shows that IBS commonly overlaps with other chronic pain conditions such as:

✓Osteoarthritis
✓Rheumatoid arthritis
✓Fibromyalgia
✓Chronic low back or neck pain
✓Shared mechanisms may include:
✓Central nervous system sensitization (heightened pain signaling)
✓Dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system
✓Stress hormones (like cortisol) affecting gut function
✓Inflammatory signaling

Important note:

While joint pain itself doesn’t cause IBS, the chronic pain–stress cycle, reduced mobility, sleep disruption, and long-term use of certain medications (NSAIDs, opioids) can all contribute to gastrointestinal symptoms that resemble or exacerbate IBS.

Bottom line:

Yes—many people with chronic joint pain report IBS symptoms, and the overlap is medically recognized, but it’s more accurate to say chronic pain can contribute to or worsen IBS, rather than directly cause it.

Source's:

1. UNC Medical Center —
https://www.med.unc.edu/ibs/wp-content/uploads/sites/450/2017/10/IBS-Beyond-the-Bowel.pdf �
UNC School of Medicine

2. NIH PubMed Central — .
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10296515/ �
PMC

3. NIH PubMed Central —
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4146780/ �
PMC

4.https://aboutibs.org/what-is-ibs/ibs-and-other-disorders/overlapping-condition-with-irritable-bowel-syndrome/ �
About IBS

5. Healthline —

https://www.healthline.com/health/fibromyalgia-and-ibs �
Healthline

6. Wikipedia —
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irritable_bowel_syndrome �
Wikipedia