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Valeriana Officinalis, commonly known as Valerian, is a well-known medicinal plant used in homeopathy and traditional herbal medicine to treat nervous system disorders such as hysteria, oversensitivity, and various nervous afflictions.

Its soothing properties are especially useful for those with emotional instability, insomnia, and nervousness.

VALERIANA OFFICINALIS

SOURCE INFORMATION

Scientific Classification
  • Kingdom: Plantae
  • Order: Dipsacales
  • Family: Caprifoliaceae
  • Genus: Valeriana
  • Species: Valeriana officinalis
Origin
  • Valeriana officinalis is native to Europe and parts of Asia but has since been naturalized in North America.
  • It thrives in temperate climates, growing in moist meadows, along riverbanks, and in woodland areas.
Historical Facts
  • Valerian has been used medicinally since ancient Greece and Rome.
  • Hippocrates, the father of medicine, described its properties, and Galen later prescribed it as a remedy for insomnia.
  • In medieval times, it was used to treat nervous conditions, and during World War I, Valerian was used to combat shell shock in soldiers.

DRUG PATHOGENESIS

  • Valerian has an affinity for the nervous system and is primarily used for its calming and sedative effects.
  • It works best in people who exhibit hysterical and nervous tendencies, where their nervous system is highly reactive.
  • The drug pathogenesis shows that it acts on the cerebrospinal system, calming erratic nerve impulses and providing relief from spasms and oversensitivity.

PHYSICAL CONSTITUTION

  • Valerian is suited for people who are highly sensitive, nervous, and restless.
  • They often have a changeable disposition, swinging between calmness and irritability, and may be prone to exaggerated reactions to stimuli.

WHAT IS CONSTITUTION IN HOMOEOPATHY?

DIATHESIS

  • Diathesis refers to the patient’s predisposition to particular conditions.
  • In this case, Valerian is recommended for those with a nervous diathesis—people who are prone to nervous disorders, hypersensitivity, and symptoms like twitching, jerking, or hysteria.

WHAT IS DIATHESIS IN HOMOEOPATHY?

TEMPERAMENTS

  • Valeriana officinalis is well-suited for people with an irritable temperament who are overly emotional, sensitive, and quick to react to environmental stimuli.
  • They may suffer from restlessness, spasmodic conditions, and a general sense of unease.

WHAT ARE TEMPERAMENTS IN HOMOEOPATHY?

KEY CHARACTERISTICS

  • Nervous Excitability: Valeriana is most commonly used for individuals with heightened nervous tension.
  • It helps calm people who experience sudden emotional outbursts, irritability, or hysteria. Patients often feel overstimulated and excessively sensitive.
  • Restlessness and Jerking Movements: It is suited for people who experience constant restlessness, especially in the limbs.
  • They may suffer from involuntary twitching, jerking, or spasms that are worse when resting but improve with movement.
  • Mental and Emotional Instability: Valeriana addresses mental symptoms like a changeable mood, irritability, and even hallucinations at night.
  • Patients often feel light, as if floating, and may be prone to extreme reactions to minor stimuli.
  • Insomnia Due to Nervousness: It is effective for treating sleeplessness when caused by nervous tension or irritability.
  • The patient may struggle to relax at night, experiencing muscular spasms or itching that disrupt sleep.
  • Digestive Disturbances with Nausea: Valeriana is useful for nervous stomach symptoms, including nausea, heartburn, bloating, and vomiting.
  • This can manifest as foul-tasting burps and children vomiting curdled milk after nursing.

PSYCHOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

VALERIANA OFFICINALIS-MIND

Valeriana is often prescribed for individuals with a highly excitable nervous system, especially when emotional and mental symptoms are prominent.

The following are some key psychological aspects of Valeriana:

Emotional Instability and Irritability
  • Patients tend to have a changeable mood—they may feel joyful and excited one moment and irritable or even angry the next.
  • This sudden emotional shift can lead to irritability over trivial matters.
  • The irritability can escalate into hysterical outbursts, where the patient might laugh or cry uncontrollably without any clear reason.
Over-Sensitivity
  • Individuals who need Valeriana often display a heightened sensitivity to their surroundings.
  • They are easily upset by noises, bright lights, or minor annoyances, which can lead to nervous agitation or anxiety.
  • They might also experience hypersensitivity to criticism or perceived insults, becoming offended or anxious about what others think of them.
Feeling of Lightness or Floating
  • A common sensation for those needing Valeriana is a feeling as if they are floating or disconnected from the ground, creating a sense of lightness or even euphoria.
  • This feeling can be disorienting and contribute to their overall restlessness.
Restlessness and Impatience
  • The patient often feels unable to sit still or rest.
  • There is a constant need for movement or action, even if the patient is tired.
  • This restless behavior often stems from their nervous system being overexcited.
Hallucinations and Night-time Agitation
  • Valeriana patients may experience hallucinations, particularly at night, when the mind is more susceptible to overstimulation.
  • These can include vivid dreams or seeing things that aren’t there.
  • Sleep is often disturbed due to this agitation, leading to insomnia or poor-quality sleep.
  • This lack of rest further aggravates their emotional instability.

Overall, the psychological background of Valeriana involves nervousness, emotional volatility, and heightened sensitivity, often leading to physical symptoms such as spasms, digestive issues, and sleeplessness.

DETAILED ORGAN SYMPTOMS

HEAD SYMPTOMS

  • Sensation of coldness: Feels an unnatural coldness in the head.
  • Pressure in the forehead: A pressing pain, often accompanied by a sensation of intoxication or light-headedness.

EAR SYMPTOMS

  • Earache: Particularly after exposure to drafts or cold air.
  • Nervous noises: Ringing or other noises in the ears due to nervous overstimulation.
  • Hyperesthesia: Increased sensitivity in the ears.

THROAT SYMPTOMS

  • Sensation of thread in throat: Feels as if something is hanging down the throat.
  • Nausea in throat: A feeling of nausea starting from the throat.
  • Constricted feeling: Tightness in the pharynx.

STOMACH SYMPTOMS

  • Hunger with nausea: A strange combination of feeling both hungry and nauseous.
  • Foul eructations: Belching with a foul taste.
  • Heartburn: Accompanied by gulping up of rancid fluids.
  • Vomiting in children: Child may vomit curdled milk in large lumps after nursing.

ABDOMEN SYMPTOMS

  • Bloating: Feeling of abdominal distension.
  • Hysterical cramps: Spasmodic pains due to nervous tension.
  • Diarrhea: Thin, watery stools with lumps of coagulated milk in children, often accompanied by violent screaming. Stools may be greenish, pap-like, or bloody.
  • Bowel spasms: Especially after eating and at night in bed.

RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS

  • Choking sensation: Occurs when falling asleep.
  • Spasmodic asthma: Convulsive movements of the diaphragm, causing difficulty in breathing.

FEMALE SYMPTOMS

  • Menstrual issues: Late and scanty periods (compare with Pulsatilla).

EXTREMITIES SYMPTOMS

  • Rheumatic pains: Aching in the limbs with constant jerking and heaviness.
  • Sciatica: Pain worsens when standing or resting on the floor, improves with walking (compare with Belladonna).
  • Heel pain: Worse when sitting.

SLEEP SYMPTOMS

  • Insomnia: Difficulty falling asleep, accompanied by itching and muscular spasms, particularly worse on waking.

FEVER SYMPTOMS

  • Prolonged heat: Long-lasting sensations of heat, often with sweat on the face. Heat tends to predominate, although the patient may also experience icy coldness (compare with Heloderma, Camphor, and Abies canadensis).

MODALITIES

  • Worse: Lying down, resting, from cold, and drafts.
  • Better: Movement, walking, and fresh air.

WHAT ARE MODALITIES IN HOMOEOPATHY?

RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER REMEDIES

  • Complementary remedies: Asafoetida, Ignatia, Crocus, and Castoreum for nervous and hysterical symptoms.
  • Compare with: Pulsatilla for late and scanty menses, and Belladonna for sciatica pain that improves with movement.

DOSE

  • Valerian is typically prescribed in tincture form.
  • The dosage varies depending on the individual’s symptoms and should be determined by a qualified homeopath.
  • Lower potencies are commonly used for calming nervous symptoms, and it can be repeated as needed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is Valerian used for?

  • Valerian is primarily used for treating nervous disorders, such as anxiety, hysteria, insomnia, and oversensitivity.

Can Valerian help with sleep problems?

  • Yes, Valerian is well-known for treating insomnia and restlessness, particularly when caused by nervous tension.

How long does it take for Valerian to work?

  • The effects of Valerian may vary. For acute symptoms, relief can be experienced within hours, while chronic issues may take longer to improve with consistent use.

Can Valerian be used for children?

  • Yes, Valerian is safe for children in homeopathic doses, especially for conditions like nervousness or digestive disturbances such as vomiting and diarrhea.

Meaning of Difficult Words

  • Hysteria: An uncontrollable emotional outburst or nervous condition.
  • Eructations: Belching or burping.
  • Hyperesthesia: Abnormal sensitivity to sensory stimuli.
  • Papescent: Having a pap-like or semi-liquid consistency.
  • Sciatica: Pain along the sciatic nerve, usually affecting the lower back, buttocks, and legs.
  • Pharynx: The part of the throat behind the mouth and nasal cavity.
  • Constricted: Tightened or narrowed.

Valeriana Officinalis is a versatile remedy with profound effects on the nervous system, providing relief for a wide range of emotional, digestive, respiratory, and muscular complaints, particularly when triggered by nervous tension.