I have experienced this same phenomenon but without the burning sensation that you describe. I experienced it mostly in my late teens to my early twenties, then it disappeared. I would experience the same type of terror and paralysis. What made the experiece so strange is, at that time, and to this day, I do not really fear anything. In those moments I did feel what I can only describe as terror.
Some have mentioned Kundalini in this post. 10 years after these episodes I became deeply involved in yoga and I learned about and began to experience kundalini energy. I have come to realize that I could move energy in my body at a very young age. It flowed quite easily by I really didn't know what it was then.