For hernias induced by trauma, the patient is usually in shock, showing tachypnea, tachycardia and pale mucous membranes.
Cardiac arrhythmias are common.
Other signs depend on which organs have herniated. For instance, you may hear GI sounds in the chest on auscultation. Decreased lung sounds are also common, often unilaterally. A radiograph often provides a definitive diagnosis. Look for loss of the diaphragmatic line or cardiac silhouette, dorsal or lateral displacement of the lung fields, or gas-filled structures in the chest.