Do you have neck, back, or shoulder pain? Natalia Gołębiowska helps Poles in Norway take care of an overloaded body
Our compatriots in Norway. We not only work, but also help one another
On Twoja Norwegia we want to portray Poles living in Norway not only through the lens of problems, authorities and work.
Among us are people who obtain further qualifications, develop their own skills and later use them to help others.
One of these people is Natalia Gołębiowska.
Natalia practices massage. She is also developing additional techniques, including hot stone massage and cupping.
However, we were primarily interested in one thing:
what do people living and working in Norway really come to her for?
Back, neck and shoulders. This is not a marginal problem
Natalia says that she most often encounters people complaining of pain in the cervical and lumbar spine, a stiff neck, shoulder tension, pain between the shoulder blades and overload of the lower back.
People also come who have previously been diagnosed with disc disease, degenerative changes or sciatica, as well as people with postural defects and headaches that occur together with severe neck tension.
This is Natalia's observation from daily work, but the scale of the problem is much larger.
According to the Arbeidstilsynet report "Risikobilde 2025" as many as 76 percent of those working in Norway reported musculoskeletal pain in the past month, and 45 percent linked these ailments entirely or partially to work. Check the Arbeidstilsynet report: Risikobilde 2025
NAV data show a similar scale of the problem. In the fourth quarter of 2025 musculoskeletal diseases accounted for 34.9 percent of days covered by sykepenger and 33.4 percent of cases of receiving this benefit. See NAV statistics on sykepenger
So this is no longer a topic only for people who like massages.
It's a topic concerning a large portion of people working in Norway.
Construction, cleaning, caregiving, driving and office work burden the body in different ways
Among Poles in Norway there are many construction workers, drivers, mechanics, people working in care, cleaning, warehouses or production.
Of course, this does not mean that every such job leads to pain.
But the nature of the tasks performed can increase the body's strain.
Arbeidstilsynet points out that risk factors include, among others, lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, twisting of the body, working in a bent posture, working with hands above shoulder height and prolonged repetition of the same movements. See what Arbeidstilsynet writes about work-related musculoskeletal problems
It is also important that not every single task has to be exceptionally heavy. Several seemingly small loads repeated over many hours can together lead to excessive strain. Read the rules regarding manual work and ergonomics
With heavy physical work Arbeidstilsynet pays particular attention to lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling and work requiring twisting of the body. Check Arbeidstilsynet's recommendations on heavy work
The problem can also affect people who hardly lift anything.
Sitting can also be hard on the back
Helsenorge states that people who sit a lot and those who frequently lift heavy objects have a higher risk of back pain. Long-distance drivers are listed among the examples. Read Helsenorge's guide on back pain
Therefore someone may come home from work exhausted after a whole day of lifting.
But someone may also get out of the car after many hours of driving and feel as if their back were made of concrete.
Can massage really help?
Here one must clearly separate two things.
Relief of tension or pain is not the same as treating the underlying cause of the condition.
The World Health Organization, in its guidelines on chronic primary low back pain, describes various non-pharmacological methods used as part of broader management. The key conclusion is that care should be tailored to the individual and may require a combination of different actions. See the WHO guidelines on chronic low back pain
For short-term low back pain Helsenorge notes that the evidence on the effectiveness of massage is not sufficient to unequivocally confirm its effect. At the same time it recommends staying active and avoiding prolonged bed rest. Check Helsenorge's recommendations for lower back pain
This is important, because an honest message should read:
massage can help some people relax and reduce tension, but it does not replace a medical diagnosis or treatment of the condition.
Natalia: first you need to listen to the person
Everyone comes with a different story.
Someone worked physically all week.
Someone sits in front of a computer.
Someone drives a car for many hours.
Someone has lived under stress for months and only in the evening notices that they practically held their shoulders up all day.
Therefore the first questions should concern not only the location of the pain.
It is also important to know:
how long it has been hurting,
what the nature of the work is,
whether there was an injury,
whether a prior diagnosis exists,
whether numbness, tingling, or loss of strength occurs.
These are the details that can determine whether it is possible to work with muscle tension or whether the person should first consult a doctor.
Disc disease and sciatica are no longer just “tight muscles”
With people diagnosed with disc disease or with symptoms resembling sciatica, caution is particularly important.
Helsenorge explains that a disc herniation can irritate or compress a nerve root. This can then cause pain radiating to the leg, tingling, numbness or other neurological symptoms. Read Helsenorge information on disc herniation and sciatica
In such a case a massage therapist should not replace a doctor or try to diagnose the cause of the problem independently.
When we should not wait for a massage but contact a doctor
This part is particularly important.
Helsenorge recommends immediate contact with a doctor if back pain is accompanied by:
numbness in the groin area,
difficulty walking,
loss of control over urination or bowel movements.
We do not try to “massage out” such symptoms. Check the warning symptoms for back pain on Helsenorge
During normal hours the first contact should be a general practitioner.
If the family doctor is unavailable and help cannot wait, you can call 116 117.
If the situation is urgent and may be life-threatening, call 113. Helsenorge: when to call your general practitioner, the out-of-hours medical service 116 117 and 113
What besides classic massage?
Natalia develops her skills and uses various techniques.
Among the methods she presents are, among others, massage targeted at muscle tension, hot stone massage and cupping.
And here too it is worth exercising common sense.
One can speak of relaxation, loosening up or a subjective feeling of relief.
However, we should not present massage or cupping as a method that “removes toxins”, treats disc disease, eliminates degenerative changes or guarantees the removal of a specific disease.
When it comes to health credibility is far more valuable than a promise of a miracle.
The body often only reminds us of itself once it already hurts
Many of us come to Norway with a single mindset:
you have to work.
One more shift.
One more assignment.
Another hundred kilometers by car.
A few more items to carry.
And the body manages for a long time.
Until the moment it starts to protest.
Arbeidstilsynet points out that musculoskeletal problems are especially common, among others, in construction workers, mechanics, care workers, cleaners and drivers. See the occupational groups particularly at risk according to Arbeidstilsynet
Sound familiar?
For a large part of the Polish community in Norway, probably yes.
And that is why we show Natalia
Not to say:
„go get a massage, and all problems will disappear”.
That's not how it works.
We want to show something different.
Poles in Norway are not just workers who come to perform one job after another.
We develop. We learn. We acquire qualifications. We create our own services and use our skills to help others.
Natalia is one such example.
And the subject she deals with concerns a really large portion of people working in Norway.
If after a week of work your neck is stiff, your shoulders stay tense, and your back regularly reminds you of itself, it's worth stopping treating your body like a machine that simply has to endure another shift.
Sometimes rest is needed.
Sometimes more movement.
Sometimes a change in the way you work.
Sometimes a massage can bring relief.
And sometimes pain is a signal that you need to see a doctor or another qualified healthcare professional.
The most important thing is one:
not to ignore the problem for months.
We will talk about this with Natalia
In the conversation with Natalia we want to go further than just showing her services.
We will ask, among other things:
why so many people come with a stiff neck and back pain,
what the first consultation before a massage looks like,
when a massage can be a reasonable support,
when Natalia refers a person to a doctor,
what we can do daily to avoid subjecting the body to continuous overload.
If you have your own problem or a question worth asking Natalia, write it under the article.
Your question might become part of the conversation.
Contact
Natalia Gołębiowska
Massage technician
+47 922 34 370
Editorial comment Twoja Norwegia
We like to showcase companies, but we are even more interested in the people behind them.
The Polish community in Norway has a huge capital of knowledge, experience and skills. When one of our compatriots uses them to help others, it is worth talking about it.
Regarding health, however, one more rule applies: a good human story should go together with credible knowledge. Therefore in this piece we directly point to Helsenorge, Arbeidstilsynet, NAV and WHO, so that the reader can check the information at the source with one click.
Information status checked: 21 September 2026.
Sources
Arbeidstilsynet: work-related musculoskeletal disorders
Arbeidstilsynet: Risk overview 2025
NAV: sick pay statistics, 4th quarter 2025
