According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 400 million people worldwide suffer from hearing loss.

In Brazil, hearing loss is one of the most common disabilities. According to the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics), it is estimated that three out of every thousand newborns are born with hearing loss.

With the goal of raising awareness about the importance of hearing health care, today is celebrated in Brazil as the Day for the Prevention and Combat of Deafness.

There are several causes of hearing loss, and they can be related to various factors, such as genetics, environmental factors, or those resulting from aging. In children, infectious diseases such as meningitis and rubella are potential triggers for hearing loss.

In addition to these, recent studies conducted at universities around the world also point to other factors such as street noise pollution, intense workplace noise, and the loud sound emitted from headphones connected to electronic devices.

Simple precautions can prevent irreversible hearing loss, such as: avoiding exposure to loud sounds for more than 8 hours a day, requiring newborn hearing screenings, and undergoing audiometry (as recommended by an otolaryngologist).