Why doesn't snoring wake up the snorer?  (How, oh how, can
he sleep through the noise he makes?)

Some snorers wake up repeatedly during the night, then quickly
re-enter sleep and resume snoring.

"Snoring, punctuated occasionally with coughs and choking, is the
sound of air fighting past an obstruction in the airway.

Commonly the obstruction is a piece of tissue called the uvula which
hangs from the soft palate over the base of the tongue. In some
people, the uvula is big enough to block the airway when they lay
down. As air battles past the uvula, it causes a vibration, creating
the 'sound' of snoring.

Other causes for obstruction: excessive soft tissue in the mouth,
being overweight, even too much alcohol, which relaxes the muscles.

In some, but not all, snorers, breathing actually stops briefly. These
interruptions (to breathing) are referred to as Sleep Apnea ('apnea'
means 'without breathing' in Greek) and it is not a problem to be
taken lying down.

When the body senses a lack of oxygen, the brain wakes up the snorer
to reopening airways and restart breathing.

These breathing interruptions are usually momentary, are marked by a
cough or choking sound, and most times the snorer doesn't even know
when or how frequently they occur."

http://www.roadstaronline.com/2001/06/001a0106.asp

thanks to the anonymity of the internet, i can admit here that, on
more than one occasion, i HAVE woken myself up with my own snoring. 
it's very embarrassing to wake up after hearing a very loud GRONK,
look around dazed and confused, not sure of where you are, and find
you wife glaring her death rays at you with a gleam of righteous
satisfaction in her eyes.

-cab

p.s. it is "have woken", right?  it sounds weird, but nothing else
sounds right either.

I understand that a deviated septum can be the source.

Worth checking!

Will need an MRI scan, followed by surgery if required.

While there is surgery to correct snoring in some cases, this surgery
should not be undertaken lightly.  My brother had this surgery 5 - 10
years ago and said it was the worst pain he ever felt -- and it lasted
for days and days.  I've heard the pain characterized by a surgeon who
did that type of surgery as "memorable".

Maybe they have different surgical solutions now...

J.