Holistic Muscle Whisperer

"What happens during your first appointment? "

I get asked a lot of the same questions, so I'm going to start answering as many FAQ's as I can.

Before your massage begins you can expect me to ask you where your problem areas are, if you want a full-body massage, focus work, or a combination of both, and what type of pressure you prefer. After I know that information I will ask you to dress down to your comfort level and lay on the table. Then that's when the magic happens ✨️ 😌 The lights are dimmed and the music plays in the background while you mentally check out for the next hour.

Here are 5 clear signs your body is telling you it’s time to get on the table:

1. Persistent, Dull Aches & “Knots”
If you have a spot under your shoulder blade or in your lower back that constantly feels tight, your muscles are likely stuck in a state of micro-contraction. These are commonly known as myofascial trigger points (muscle knots). When a muscle stays locked up, it compresses local blood vessels, restricting oxygen supply and causing that nagging, ischemic dull ache.

2. Frequent Tension Headaches
When the muscles at the base of your skull (suboccipitals), neck, and upper shoulders (trapezius) get overly tight, they can refer pain upward. This often feels like a tight band wrapping around your forehead or a dull throb behind your eyes. Releasing that upper-body tension directly takes the pressure off those nerve pathways.

3. A Noticeable Loss of Flexibility
If turning your head to check your blind spot feels restricted, or you suddenly can’t touch your toes like you used to, your fascia, the dense connective tissue wrapping around your muscles, might be getting stiff and bound up. Massage helps manually stretch, hydrate, and loosen these fascial layers to restore your normal range of motion.

4. Poor Posture & “Desk Slouch”
Spending hours hunched over a steering wheel, computer, or phone forces your chest muscles to shorten and tighten, while your upper back muscles get chronically overstretched and weak. This muscular imbalance creates a rounded-shoulder posture. Massage can open up those tight anterior muscles and soothe the exhausted upper back tissue.

5. Sluggish Recovery & Localized Heavy Feelings
When you work out hard or spend long days on your feet, metabolic waste products can accumulate in your tissues, and fluid can pool in your limbs, making your body feel heavy, stiff, or stagnant. Targeted bodywork improves local circulation, helping the lymphatic and circulatory systems efficiently flush out cellular debris and bring fresh, oxygen-rich blood back to the tissues.

I figured it's time to make an introduction post 😅 My name is Gabrielle Codianni and I'm the owner of Holistic Muscle Whisperer. I have been a massage therapist since 2020 and I have been a lymphedema therapist since 2024. I specialize in lymphedema, lipedema, and I am well known for my deep tissue massages. Right now I am working at a physical therapy office full-time and occasionally will do mobile massage if requested.

When I'm not working I love escaping to the beach and spending time with my family 🏖 🌊

I'm so happy all of you are here and you trust me with your wellness routine!

What obstacles keep you from scheduling monthly/ weekly massages?

Pneumatic compression pumps can be a useful tool for moving stagnant lymph, but they are not a replacement for other modalities. To get the best results, a pump should complement (not completely replace) Manual Lymphatic Drainage. Always ensure you clear your lymphatic channels first, proximal to distal, before starting the pneumatic compression treatment. This means you use your hands to create a pumping motion in the six areas where the main clusters of lymph nodes are located: collar bone, neck, armpits, stomach, groin, and behind the knee. This essentially clears out the lymph nodes and allows them to receive more fluid during the drainage process.
Do you currently use a pump in your routine? Which company did you get your pump from?

A promising new treatment for lymphedema - Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center Blog Research by Antonio Forte, M.D., Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic plastic surgeon, seeks to better pinpoint who is most likely to benefit from surgery aimed at regenerating a faulty lymphatic system.

We are honored to highlight a few incredible non-profits standing alongside us in support of the Lipedema community.

is advancing the clinical understanding, diagnosis and treatment of lipedema and other fat disorders.

is doing the foundational work of reaching women before the wrong identity locks in, examining the biases and cultural factors that block early recognition of Lipedema and equipping communities with the tools to disrupt them.

is the leading funder of Lipedema research worldwide, with a mission to define, diagnose, and develop treatments for this chronic condition.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗦 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟭𝟬-𝟭𝟮, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲.

𝘈𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘱𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘢 𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦! 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘈𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘝𝘐𝘗 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘶𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯-𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘓𝘰𝘴 𝘈𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘑𝘶𝘯𝘦 11 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺.

𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵. 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘢 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴.

A major update in women’s health terminology was announced today in The Lancet: PCOS (polycystic o***y syndrome) will transition to a new name, PMOS (polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome), over the coming years.

The change reflects growing recognition that the condition extends beyond ovarian findings alone and may help reduce stigma and improve diagnosis and care. During the transition period, both PCOS and PMOS may be used interchangeably as the updated terminology is adopted across research and clinical care.

In the Lipedema Foundation Registry First Look Report, 13% of participants reported PCOS as a comorbid condition, making this an important update for many in our community to be aware of.

🔗 Read more: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00717-8/fulltext

Lymphedema? Lipedema? Most people have never heard of these terms before let alone know what they mean. While they sound similar, Lymphedema (a fluid drainage issue) and Lipedema (a symmetrical adipose tissue disorder) require different approaches to management.

The first step on your health journey is getting a proper diagnosis. Schedule an appointment with your doctor to receive an official diagnosis of lymphedema, lipedema, or both. **This is crucial for insurance purposes for later if you're wanting approval for specific devices in the future.

The second step is being referred to a clinic who specializes in these conditions and start seeing a Certified Lymphedema Therapist. Your CLT will perform manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) including other modalities that may be included in your plan of care, such as exercise, compression bandages or garments, using a pneumatic pump or a vibration plate, etc.

The most important step is self management. Treating these conditions is a long, slow, and life-long process. And it takes consistency and teamwork between you and your CLT. But unfortunately you cannot see you therapist indefinitely. This means once you have met your treatment goals, you will be discharged and will have to continue using your newly acquired modalities and tools at home. This is especially true depending on which stage you have been diagnosed with (more on that later!).

Which one are you currently navigating? Let’s chat in the comments!