HELLEBORUS NIGER

Helleborus Niger is prepared from a flowering plant called Snow Rose. It is prepared by grinding the roots of the plant.  The most important characteristic of a Helleborus Niger patient is that of becoming isorientated and being out of his mind. This results in a lack of coordination of the functions of the body. Moreover, the inflammation of the membranes of the brain and the spinal cord (the meninges) leads to the dysfunction of the nervous system and then insanity. Helleborus Niger is that medicine which, by the grace of God, relieves all these symptoms and restores the person to mental health once again. In the diseases of Helleborus Niger there is no voluntary control over the functioning of the limbs and the muscles, and their response to the message from the brain is delayed. The mind is clear and active, but the muscles do not respond properly in time because the basic nervous system has been affected. When something is said to a patient he does not react to it at all. It becomes necessary to jolt him in order to make him aware. His thoughts are scattered and he needs to be reminded again and again to make him do something or he will simply do nothing. The patient exhibits a strange type of drowsiness and insensitivity, which may lead to unconsciousness.  Sometimes, the Helleborus Niger patient starts viewing Satan and evil spirits. He becomes fearful of having committed an unforgiveable sin. Such scary ideas are also noticed in Aurum, Lachesis and Stramonium.

Several remedies may be used in the treatment of hydrocephalus,

which means an increase in the size of the head due to build up of pressure inside the skull (secondary to excessive accumulation of cerbro-spinal fluid). The most effective, of course, is Silicea. Helleborus is also useful in treating this condition. When the head of the child becomes enlarged and the eyes apparently sink, the child may suddenly make dreadful screams. This symptom is distinctively present in Apis. In Apis, the headache is of a stinging nature. Apis would make the child feel better in this kind of pain associated with

hydrocephalus, but Apis is relatively slow acting medicine. 

In 

contrast, Silicea is a fast-acting medicine. Helleborus Niger is very effective in the treatment of excessive production of cerebrospinal fluid and thus decreases the build-up of pressure in the skull (intracranial pressure). Even if it may not cure, it would certainly benefit to some extent.

In the kind of epilepsy (petit mal) where the patient does not lose

consciousness and his eyes remain open, Helleborus is very useful. After the fit is over, the patient feels extremely weak and drowsy.  In a patient of Helleborus, the headache moves from inside out, causing pressure on the eyes and forehead. The eyeballs move upwards and squint. The patient is very sensitive to light. The head feels heavy and hot deep down. The patient groans with pain.  Despite being hungry, he cannot eat or drink anything. There is a sensation of burning in the oesophagus, gas in the stomach and rumbling over the stomach area. There is a feeling of pressure over the stomach. The stomach hurts on walking and coughing. General weakness is a prominent feature of Helleborus, which may result in paralysis.

Helleborus is very effective in relieving the pressure inside the urinary bladder, which results in the inability of the child to pass urine. The urine is dark coloured. Helleborus is also famous for the treatment of continuous uncontrolled movements in the arm and leg on one side of the body (chorea and athetosis). The thumb becomes tightly contracted into the palm. Blisters form between the fingers of the hand and toes of the feet. All these symptoms need to be treated immediately with Helleborus.

The relationship of Helleborus to hydrocephalus has already been described. The screaming of the children during sleep resembles that of Apis. However, in the Apis patient, there are no involuntary movements affecting one side of the body. In a patient of Helleborus, there is soft pitting oedema of the skin with the formation of blue spots. Hair loss on the scalp and breaking of the nails is also amongst the symptoms of Helleborus Niger.