My uncle has DDD. He took treatments you know therapy, medication and stuff and has been all well for a year and now he's complaining about the same pain he had a year ago because he picked up a heavy load last week.

What English verb can be used to describe a disease coming back? I'd be glad to put an example here to provide the context but I'm not sure how this verb is used in a sentence i.e. with a personal subject here my uncle or an impersonal one like DDD here.

Thanks