Horowitz/MSIDS Questionnaire (HMQ) — a screening tool to estimate the probability of Lyme disease and other tick-borne disorders, developed by Dr. Richard Horowitz. Answer based on how you’ve felt over the past month. Tap a section below to open it. Your score updates automatically as you go. This is informational only and does not replace advice from your own physician.
Section 1 — Symptom frequency 38 symptoms · rate how often each has bothered you this past month
1. Unexplained fevers, sweats, chills, or flushing
2. Unexplained weight change (loss or gain)
3. Fatigue, tiredness
4. Unexplained hair loss
5. Swollen glands
6. Sore throat
7. Testicular pain / Pelvic pain
8. Unexplained menstrual irregularity
9. Unexplained breast milk production, breast pain
10. Irritable bladder or bladder dysfunction
11. Sexual dysfunction / loss of libido
12. Upset stomach
13. Change in bowel function (constipation or diarrhea)
14. Chest pain or rib soreness
15. Shortness of breath / cough
16. Heart palpitations, pulse skips, heart block
17. History of heart murmur or valve prolapse
18. Joint pain or Swelling
19. Stiffness of the neck or back
20. Muscle pain or cramps
21. Twitching of the face or other muscles
22. Headaches
23. Neck cracks or neck stiffness
24. Tingling, numbness, burning or stabbing sensations
25. Facial paralysis (Bell’s palsy)
26. Eyes/vision — double, blurry
27. Ears/hearing — buzzing, ringing, ear pain
28. Increased motion sickness, vertigo
29. Lightheadedness, poor balance, difficulty walking
30. Tremors
31. Confusion, difficulty thinking
32. Difficulty with concentration or reading
33. Forgetfulness, poor short term memory
34. Disorientation; getting lost, going to wrong places
35. Difficulty with speech or writing
36. Mood swings, irritability, depression
37. Disturbed sleep – Too Much, Too Little, Early Awake
38. Exaggerated symptoms / worse hangover from alcohol
Section 2 — History & risk factors 10 yes/no questions, each worth a set number of points
1. You have had a tick bite with no rash or flu-like symptoms.3 pts
2. You had a tick bite, an Erythema migrans or undefined rash, followed by flu-like symptoms.5 pts
3. You live in what is considered a Lyme endemic area.2 pts
4. You have a family member diagnosed with Lyme and/or tick borne infections.1 pt
5. You experience migratory muscle pain.4 pts
6. You experience migratory joint pain.4 pts
7. You experience tingling/burning/numbness that migrates and/or comes and goes.4 pts
8. You have received a prior diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Fibromyalgia.3 pts
9. You have received a prior diagnosis of a non-specific autoimmune disorder (Lupus, MS, Rheumatoid Arthritis).3 pts
10. You have had a positive Lyme test (ELISA, Western Blot, PCR).5 pts
Section 3 — Recent physical & mental health Days in the past 30 that felt “not good”
1. In the past 30 days, how many days was your physical health not good?
0 days0 days (1 pt)30 days
2. In the past 30 days, how many days was your mental health not good?
0 days0 days (1 pt)30 days
Section 4 — Bonus scoring Automatic — based on your Section 1 answers
If you rated “All of the time” (3) in Section 1 for every one of these five symptoms, you automatically get 5 bonus points:
- Fatigue, tiredness
- Forgetfulness, poor short term memory
- Joint pain or Swelling
- Tingling, numbness, burning or stabbing sensations
- Disturbed sleep – Too Much, Too Little, Early Awake
Not currently applied — rate all five as “All of the time” in Section 1 to trigger this.
Final score
0
Breakdown
Section 1: 0 · Section 2: 0 · Section 3: 0 · Bonus: 0
Tick-Borne Illness is Not Likely
0–24 Not likely
25–44 Possible
45–62 Probable
63+ Highly probable