Hi, thedeg -
I do have an adjustment in four places, lower back, mid back, upper back and neck and upper cranials. The chiropractor I just found uses heat and vibration for ten minutes before each session to relax the muscles before he adjusts.
The swimming helps, and every so often a deep tissue massage helps too. But, like so many of us out here I live paycheck to paycheck and sometimes the things I would like to do to keep myself pain free get moved from the column of "necessity" to "luxury".
For me, the issues just keep becoming more degenerative over time as I get older. I know I need to change my current job and find something that will allow me to be relatively pain free most of the time. The question is... what? Can't stand on my feet all day, any kind of heavy lifting is out or any prolonged computer usage... (neck and shoulders) so there's precious little left.
Peace,
Sue