What is hypermobility? Billie Eilish says she has been suffering chronic pain since she was 9

Billie Eilish opens up about battling hypermobility (image via @billieeilish on Instagram)
Billie Eilish opens up about battling hypermobility (image via @billieeilish on Instagram)

In the November cover story of Vogue, Billie Eilish shares that she has suffered from hypermobility since childhood. Hypermobility, or double-jointedness, is a syndrome in which the joints stretch farther than normal. According to the Cleveland Clinic, hypermobility refers to extreme mobility along with pain and other symptoms.

"I've basically been in pain since I was 9. Growing up, I'd always hear people be like, 'Just wait until you're older! You're going to have so much pain!' and I remember being so furious."

The singer added that the condition, coupled with performing for thousands at concerts constantly, makes her feel isolated,

"I've had some really dark times on tour. For a long time I was kind of living like it was temporary. Like, yeah, I'm touring for now and it's kind of unpleasant and whatever. It'll be over. And the truth is, it's the rest of my life."

The singer mentioned that she didn't realize that touring could make me enjoyable and that she had been "very lonely for many years."


What other conditions does Billie Eilish have?

This isn't the first time Billie Eilish opened up about suffering from a condition. The singer was also diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome at 11. During an interview with David Letterman in June 2022, Letterman noticed the singer making sudden movements, such as whipping her head, and asked her about it, to which she said, "No. I'm ticcing."

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When Letterman asked if he could ask her more about it, Eilish said she was "very happy to talk about it" because it's "very, very interesting." The Grammy winner went on to explain that she was diagnosed with the condition at 11 when she experienced multiple small physical tics.

"I wiggle my ear back and forth and raise my eyebrow and click my jaw... and flex my arm here and flex this arm, flex these muscles."

As per the Mayo Clinic, the syndrome is a disorder involving repetitive movements known as tics or unwanted sounds that cannot be easily controlled. Apart from suffering from Tourette Syndrome and hypermobility, Billie Eilish also suffers from lifelong depression. While speaking to Rolling Stone in August 2024, Eilish mentioned that she has been a joyous person but never a happy person her whole life. She explained that when things happen in her soul, she always holds onto it.

The singer mentioned that getting support from her family and friends and stepping out and socializing with other celebrities helped her navigate her depression.

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Edited by Priscillah Mueni