The relation is close. It is one of the core mechanisms of this condition.

The intestine has its own nerve network and exchanges signals with the brain in both directions. This is called the gut–brain axis. When you are tense, intestinal motility speeds up or slows down, and the sensation of the intestine becomes heightened.

So a pattern of abdominal pain before an exam, before a presentation, or on the commute is common. A vicious circle also arises in which anxiety about a situation with no toilet calls the symptom back.

However, stress is not the only cause. There are cases beginning after a past bout of enteritis, cases responding to particular foods, and cases where a change in the gut flora is involved.

This is why, in Korean medicine treatment, we do not look at the intestine alone but regulate sleep and tension together.