Up to 70 percent of the people with IBS don't seek medical treatment for their condition. While it hasn't been cured, there are treatments. Here are a few things that tend to worsen the symptoms of IBS:

* Large meals
* Bloating from gas in the colon
* Medicines
* Wheat, rye, barley, chocolate, milk products, or alcohol
* Drinks with caffeine, such as coffee, tea, or colas
* Stress, conflict, or emotional upsets.

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Digestive Diseases Clearinghouse.

I've suffered from ulcers and chronic colitis since childhood, largely due to a number of food allergies and my high-strung nature. It's not an easy topic to discuss, even with my doctors. Every now and then, for a while every year, I had to undergo the extremely uncomfortable procedures to detect any issues, polyps, etc. Unfortunately, this is also a condition that seems to run in my family, and my father recently had benign polyps removed. Over the years, I've learned how to deal with stress, avoid certain foods and live without meds. What works for me may not for others.