Do you have neck, back or shoulder pain? Natalia Gołębiowska helps Poles in Norway take care of an overloaded body
Teaser
Construction, cleaning, care work, warehouse, many hours of driving or a whole day at the computer. Different jobs, but often the same outcome: a stiff neck, tense shoulders and back pain. Natalia Gołębiowska, a massage therapist working in Norway, talks about the problems people most often come to her with and where massage ends and a situation begins that should be assessed by a doctor.
Our compatriots in Norway. We don’t only work, we also help each other
On YourNorway we want to present Poles living in Norway not only through the prism 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 those people is Natalia Gołębiowska.
Natalia practices massage. She is also developing additional techniques, including hot stone massage and work with cupping.
However, what interested us most was 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 she most often meets 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 who have previously been diagnosed with disc disease, degenerative changes or sciatica also come, as well as people with postural defects and headaches that appear 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 during the last month, and 45 percent linked these ailments completely 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 sick pay and 33.4 percent of cases of receiving this benefit. See NAV statistics on sick pay
So this is no longer a topic only for people who like massage.
This is an issue concerning a huge portion of people working in Norway.
Construction, cleaning, care work, the car and the office strain the body in different ways
Among Poles in Norway there are many construction workers, drivers, mechanics, people working in care, cleaning, warehouses or production.
This of course does not mean that every such job leads to pain.
But the nature of the tasks performed can increase the strain on the body.
Arbeidstilsynet points out that risk factors include, among others, lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, twisting the body, working in a bent position, working with the 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 a single task does not always have to be exceptionally heavy. Several seemingly small loads repeated over many hours can together lead to excessive strain. Read the guidelines on manual work and ergonomics
In heavy physical work Arbeidstilsynet pays particular attention to lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling and work requiring twisting of the body. Check Arbeidstilsynet's recommendations regarding 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 often lift heavy objects have a higher risk of back pain. Long-distance drivers are mentioned as an example, among others. Read Helsenorge's guide on back pain
That is why someone may come home from work exhausted after a whole day of lifting.
But they 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 you must clearly distinguish 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 a broader approach. The main conclusion is that care should be tailored to the individual and may require a combination of different measures. See the WHO guidelines on chronic low back pain
For short-term low back pain Helsenorge notes, however, that the evidence regarding the effectiveness of massage is not sufficient to definitively 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 for the condition.
Natalia: First you have to listen to the person
Everyone comes with a different story.
Someone spent the whole week doing physical work.
Someone sits at a computer.
Someone has driven for many hours.
Someone has been tense for months and only in the evening notices they kept their shoulders raised almost all day.
Therefore the first questions should concern not only the location of the pain.
It is also important:
how long the pain has lasted,
what kind of work it is,
whether there was an injury,
whether there is a previously established diagnosis,
whether numbness, tingling, or loss of strength occurs.
These are the details that can determine whether one can work with muscle tension, or whether the person should first consult a doctor.
Disc disease and sciatica are no longer just "tight muscles"
In people with a diagnosed disc disease or symptoms resembling sciatica, caution is particularly important.
Helsenorge explains that a herniated disc can irritate or compress a nerve root. Then pain radiating to the leg, tingling, numbness or other neurological symptoms may occur. Read Helsenorge information about herniated disc and sciatica
In such a case a masseur should not replace a doctor nor try to diagnose the cause of the problem on their own.
When we don't wait for a massage but contact a doctor
This part is especially important.
Helsenorge recommends immediate contact with a doctor if back pain is accompanied by:
numbness in the perineal area,
difficulty walking,
loss of control over urination or bowel movements.
We do not try to "massage away" such symptoms. Check the red-flag 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 acute and may be life-threatening, call 113. Helsenorge: when to call the 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 offers are, among others, muscle-tension-focused massage, hot stone massage and cupping.
It's also worth exercising common sense here.
One can talk about relaxation, loosening up or a subjective sense of relief.
However, we should not present massage or cupping as a method that "removes toxins", cures disc disease, eliminates degenerative changes or guarantees the removal of a specific illness.
In health credibility is far more valuable than the promise of a miracle.
The body often reminds us of itself only when it already hurts
Many of us come to Norway with a single mindset:
you have to work.
One more shift.
One more job.
Another hundred kilometers by car.
A few more items to move.
And the body copes for a long time.
Until the moment it starts to protest.
Arbeidstilsynet points out that musculoskeletal problems are particularly common, among others, in construction workers, mechanics, caregivers, 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 are featuring Natalia
Not to say:
“go for 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 complete one assignment 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 issue she deals with concerns a really large portion of people working in Norway.
If after a week of work the neck is stiff, the shoulders remain tense, and the back regularly reminds you of itself, it's worth stopping treating the body like a machine that simply has to endure the next shift.
Sometimes rest is needed.
Sometimes more movement.
Sometimes a change in the way of working.
Sometimes a massage can bring relief.
And sometimes pain is a signal that you need to see a doctor or another qualified healthcare professional.
One thing is most important:
do not ignore the problem for months.
We'll discuss this with Natalia
In the conversation with Natalia we want to go beyond just showing her services.
We will ask, among other things:
why so many people come with a tight neck and back pain,
what the initial consultation before a massage looks like,
when a massage can be a sensible support,
when Natalia refers a person to a doctor,
what we can do daily to avoid causing the body constant overload.
If you have your own problem or a question worth asking Natalia, write it under the article.
Perhaps your question will become part of the conversation.
Contact
Natalia Gołębiowska
Massage technician
+47 922 34 370
Editorial comment TwojaNorwegia
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's worth talking about it.
However, when it comes to health, there is one more rule: a person's good story should go together with credible knowledge. Therefore, in this piece we point directly to Helsenorge, Arbeidstilsynet, NAV and WHO, so that the reader can check the information at the source with one click.
Information verified: 21 September 2026.
Sources
Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority: work-related musculoskeletal disorders
Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority: manual work
Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority: Risk Overview 2025
NAV: sick pay statistics, 4th quarter 2025
