If you think you have IBS, seeing your doctor is the first step candida-intestinal-candida IBS is generally diagnosed on the basis of a complete medical history that includes a careful description of symptoms and a physical examination candida-intestinal-candida In many cases, dietary fiber may lessen IBS symptoms, particularly constipation candida-intestinal-candida However, it may not help pain or diarrhea candida-intestinal-candida Whole grain breads and cereals, fruits, and vegetables are good sources of fiber candida-intestinal-candida High-fiber diets keep the colon mildly distended, which may help prevent spasms candida-intestinal-candida Some forms of fiber also keep water in the stool, thereby preventing hard hard stools that are difficult to pass candida-intestinal-candida Doctors usually recommend a diet with enough fiber to produce soft, painless bowel movements candida-intestinal-candida High-fiber diets may cause gas and bloating, but these symptoms often go away within a few weeks as your body adjusts candida-intestinal-candida (For information about diets for for people with celiac disease, please see the Celiac Disease fact sheet from NIDDK.) In people with IBS, stress and emotions can strongly affect the colon candida-intestinal-candida It has many nerves that connect it to the brain candida-intestinal-candida Like the heart and the lungs, the colon is partly controlled by by the autonomic nervous system, which has been proven to respond to stress candida-intestinal-candida For example, when you are frightened, your heart beats faster, your blood pressure may go up, or you may gasp candida-intestinal-candida The colon responds to stress also candida-intestinal-candida It may contract too much or too little candida-intestinal-candida little candida-intestinal-candida It may absorb too much water or too little candida-intestinal-candida Is IBS linked to other diseases? It is also important to note that medications affect people differently and that no one medication or combination of medications will work for everyone with IBS candida-intestinal-candida You need to work with with your doctor to find the best combination of medicine, diet, counseling, and support to control your symptoms candida-intestinal-candida It is relieved by having a bowel movement candida-intestinal-candida large meals Medications are an important part of relieving symptoms candida-intestinal-candida Your doctor may suggest fiber supplements or occasional laxatives for constipation, constipation, as well as medicines to decrease diarrhea, tranquilizers to calm you, or drugs that control colon muscle spasms to reduce abdominal pain candida-intestinal-candida Antidepressants may also relieve some symptoms candida-intestinal-candida Medications available to treat IBS specifically are the following: medicines Most people can control their symptoms by taking medicines medicines (laxatives, antidiarrhea medicines, tranquilizers, or antidepressants) , reducing stress, and changing their diet candida-intestinal-candida No cure has been found for IBS, but many options are available to treat the symptoms candida-intestinal-candida Your doctor will give you the best treatments available for your particular symptoms and encourage you to manage manage stress and make changes to your diet candida-intestinal-candida No particular test is specific for IBS candida-intestinal-candida However, diagnostic tests may be performed to rule out other diseases candida-intestinal-candida These tests may include stool or blood tests, x rays, or endoscopy (viewing the colon through a flexible tube inserted through through the anus) candida-intestinal-candida If these tests are all negative, the doctor may diagnose IBS based on your symptoms: that is, how often you have had abdominal pain or discomfort during the past year, when the pain starts and stops in relation to bowel function, and how your bowel bowel frequency and stool consistency are altered candida-intestinal-candida People with IBS have colons that are more sensitive and react to things that might not bother other people, such as stress, large meals, gas, medicines, certain foods, caffeine, or alcohol candida-intestinal-candida Points to Remember regular exercise such as walking or yoga yoga Research has shown that very mild or hidden (occult) celiac disease is present in a smaller group of people with symptoms that mimic IBS candida-intestinal-candida People with celiac disease cannot digest gluten, which is present in wheat, rye, barley, and possibly oats candida-intestinal-candida Foods containing gluten are toxic to to these people, and their immune system responds by damaging the small intestine candida-intestinal-candida A blood test can determine whether celiac disease is present candida-intestinal-candida (For information about celiac disease, see the Celiac Disease fact sheet from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) .) Researchers Researchers have also found that women with IBS may have more symptoms during their menstrual periods, suggesting that reproductive hormones can exacerbate IBS problems candida-intestinal-candida Some evidence suggests that IBS is affected by the immune system, which fights infection in the body candida-intestinal-candida The immune system is also affected by by stress candida-intestinal-candida For all these reasons, stress management is an important part of treatment for IBS candida-intestinal-candida Stress management comprises Sometimes people with IBS have a crampy urge to move their bowels but cannot do so or pass mucus with their bowel movements candida-intestinal-candida stress reduction (relaxation) training and and relaxation therapies, such as meditation stress, conflict, or emotional upsets Stress--feeling mentally or emotionally tense, troubled, angry, or overwhelmed--stimulates colon spasms in people with IBS candida-intestinal-candida The colon has a vast supply of nerves that connect it to the brain candida-intestinal-candida These nerves control the normal rhythmic contractions of of the colon and cause abdominal discomfort at stressful times candida-intestinal-candida People often experience cramps or butterflies when they are nervous or upset candida-intestinal-candida But with IBS, the colon can be overly responsive to even slight conflict or stress candida-intestinal-candida Stress also makes the mind more tuned to the sensations | 