What triggers inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) flares?

Some of the triggers for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) flares may be infection, such as viral gastroenteritis or food poisoning. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen, Aleve and naproxen, can cause ulcers anywhere throughout the gastrointestinal tract, so they may also increase IBD flares. Stress may also be associated with the flaring of your disease. Some people think that changes in seasonality may increase your risk, but most importantly, your risk of flaring is greatest if you don't adhere to your medication regimen. Medications don't work if you don't take them, so if medications got you better, you need to continue taking them, or else there's a higher likelihood that your symptoms will flare.