Treatment of central low back pain is difficult given the numerous treatment options available.

The study aims to identify the relationship between somatic amplification of bodily sensations and health anxiety in adolescents.

Every doctor has experienced heartsink with the realisation that the next patient encounter will be difficult. Engaging with heartsink issues is demanding and uncomfortable but necessary.

This article summarises the aetiology and contributing factors of vaginismus, how a diagnosis can be made, the implications of vaginismus for primary care clinical practice and treatment options.

Chronic pelvic pain can be challenging for practitioners but more especially patients. Understanding its nature and the range of available therapies can assist significantly.*

Pain due to musculoskeletal conditions is difficult to express and define and is often overlooked in consultations.

This article describes an approach to the assessment and management of the common presentations of acute cervical spine pain.

This issue of AJGP examines musculoskeletal conditions – how these cause pain and how to manage the multitude of ways in which these impairments affect the lives of our patients.

Noncardiac chest pain is a cause of significant morbidity and can be responsible for a high personal cost and healthcare burden.

The symptom burden and care needs for patients with end-stage, non-malignant illnesses are similar to those of patients with advanced cancer.

There is room for improvement in monitoring patients with early chronic kidney disease when considering alignment with national guidelines.

This paper provides an overview of exercise care in general practice to support sustained solutions for patients living with chronic disease.

The Focus articles in this issue explore COVID-19 renal disease, acute kidney injury, renal colic, paediatric urinary tract infections and haematuria.

The interface of general practice and kidney healthcare has never been more important than it is in our current pandemic world.

Patients can be empowered through understanding chronic kidney disease as not confined to a single organ system but as the antecedent and consequence of several pathophysiological processes.