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

Despite international consensus regarding the judicious use of diagnostic spinal imaging, patients continue to be over-referred.

It is reasonable to consider including exercise-based services in the care team to enable patients with non-specific chronic low back pain to transition to self-management.

Complex spinal pain interdisciplinary assessment in a primary care setting shows reasonable long-term outcomes comparable to more intensive interventions.

Psychological support provided by GPs is an important factor for the maintenance of a positive sense of wellbeing for patients with persistent pain.

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

Buprenorphine–naloxone is well tolerated by patients with chronic pain, and has the potential to improve pain scores and affective symptoms.

The primary care physician plays a pivotal part in the identification and management of idiopathic frozen shoulder, with the vast majority of patients responding to conservative management.

Cancer pain is one of the most common and problematic symptoms faced in palliative care.

Many challenges exist in providing best-evidence treatments that promote an active approach facilitating self-efficacy and physical activity, and align with a contemporary understanding of pain.

Comorbidities, multimorbidity and frailty are increasingly becoming a major focus of care as a result of the ageing population of people with human immunodeficiency virus.

General practitioners are an integral part of the multidisciplinary team to help manage pelvic girdle pain.

In the absence of organic aetiology, childhood constipation is almost always functional and is often due to painful bowel movements that prompt the child to withhold stool.

Temporomandibular dysfunction represents a major cause of orofacial pain. The focus of this article is to provide an overview of this disorder and management considerations in general practice.

Chronic non-cancer pain management illustrates the case for reconceptualising chronic condition management using a generic lifestyle-based approach.