Similarly to your seemingly effective quick nip in the butt, when it comes to the other end of the spectrum where you're the one who has a problem I've always found that being open, sincere, and forward quickly tends to be the best solution.

Whether it's something as simple as someone humming at their chair in an open office layout or something a bit more complex such as you and your neighbors situation, presenting how feel in a clear and less emotional way always works out better than bottling up your feelings until one party blows up. People, for their part, seem to be genuinely reasonable and understanding when given the opportunity.