# Helleborus Niger (HMT)

## Remedy Classification
- **Type:** Remedy
- **Alternative Names:** Snow Rose
- **Miasm:** Tubercular Miasm
- **Temperament:** Neutral
- **Aggravation Time:** Neutral/Anytime

## Keynote Indications
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 disorientated and being out of his mind.   This results in
a lack of coordination of the f unctions of the body.  Moreover, the
inflammation of the membranes of th e 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 a nd restores the person to mental
health once again.  In the diseas es 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 musc les 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 treati ng 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 rela tively slow acting medicine. In
contrast, Silicea is a fast-acting me dicine. Helleborus Niger is very
effective in the treatment of exce ssive production of cerebrospinal
fluid and thus decreases the buil d-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 ma l) 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.  Th e 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 He lleborus, which may result in
paralysis.

Helleborus is very effective in relieving the pressure inside the
urinary bladder, which results in th e inability of the child to pass
urine.  The urine is dark coloure d. Helleborus is also famous for the
treatment of continuous uncontrolle d 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 ch ildren during sleep resembles that
of Apis.  However, in the Apis  patient, there are no involuntary
movements affecting one side of th e 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.

Antidotes: Camphor, Cincona (China)
Potency: 30 to 1000

## Symptoms by System