Can your cervix dilate without you knowing?

This may be a stupid question...

the other day I was having like awful back pain and lower abdomen cramping. I'm really high risk for preterm labor so of course I was kind of worried. I'm 24 weeks...

Well after a couple days the pains kind of stopped , I'll still occasionally cramp but I am still kind of cramping / sharp pain up inside where my cervix is? Haha

I'm too squeamish to check myself if I'm dilating and last time I went to my dr's I felt stupid because I was just over worrying...

Its my understanding that labor pains will only progress worse and won't just stop?