Singer has hiccups for 22 months

A singer has told how his career is being ruined - by a 22-month bout of hiccups.

Christopher Sands, 25, hiccups constantly, as often as every two seconds, which has left him struggling to talk, eat, sleep and even to breathe.

He told the Daily Mail: "Last night I passed out on the floor because I can't breathe properly when my throat locks up with the hiccups.

"All my friends have noticed how skinny I have been looking recently because I can't hold my food down."

The singer says he is unable to perform in his rock band, or find another job, and lives on incapacity benefit. He has tried all the traditional remedies, but to no avail.

Even more unconventional treatments such as hypnotherapy, reiki, yoga and sitting in an oxygen chamber have not helped.

"The one thing that worked for an hour was eating a teaspoon of peanut butter," he said. "I got really excited that they had gone, but then they came back again."

Doctors have been unable to diagnose his condition, and say that there is no physical reason why he keeps hiccupping.

He is due to have surgery at Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, to stop him bringing up his food - a side-effect of the affliction. But he has been warned not to expect the operation on a damaged stomach valve to cure his hiccups.

American Charles Osborne holds the record for the longest bout of hiccups, which lasted for 68 years from 1922 until 1990.

-Nova