With an epidural, it is only supposed to take away the contraction pains, not the pressure you'll feel or the baby coming out. If you feel tingling in your legs or ringing in your ears they need to move the needle. That's the only thing I remember them telling me when they did it.
I'm not real sure how Braxton hicks feel like, I have never had them. but labor with an epidural is fantastic, you don't feel anything except for the contractions, and they are not as bad as if you didn't have the epidural. I personally want the epidural again thus time around . lol. but then again I want to experience labor with out the epidural too but don't think I can handle all the pain. lol.