Contractions?

I’m currently 38 weeks! How soon together or how strong would the contractions be to be signaling labor or the beginning of? Last night at 730 I started having them they went away, came back at 8 went away until about 3 am, went away. Although they’re not that close together, they are getting VERY painful and intense. Any advice? I don’t want to call and go to the hospital for them just to send me home?