IPhone 4 stuck on apple logo, won't turn on, what to do?

Please Help! This phone is my baby. T___T

First off, I don't have iTunes on my computer, and I can't get it. It asks for a password and I can't provide it with the one it needs. (This is a problem that can't be fixed so please don't waste your time trying to help me "fix" that problem. I need something that doesn't require iTunes.)

SO. Here is what happened:

Yesterday, I opened the "Design Home" app to play since I haven't played in a while and I was going through old apps that I haven't used in a while. At first the loading screen for the game came on and I figured it was just loading as usual, but then the screen went white and all I could see was a very very light, washed out logo from the game on the screen (if you looked hard enough). From there I tried using the home button several times as well as the power button, but it just stayed on the white screen. After that, I held the home button and power button at the same time and it finally shut off.

I left it like this for a few minutes, and then pressed the home and power button again to turn my phone on. When I did, it gave me the apple logo, and then the little loading icon (however, the circular loading icon is frozen) over the apple logo. I've turned my phone off and then on again several times, even waiting longer periods of time between turning it on just to try and give it time to reboot. It gives me the same thing every time. First the apple logo, and then the apple logo with the frozen circle-loading-sign over it. It's making me quite depressed.

At this point, I really need help. Is there some way I can reset my phone without losing what I had? How can I fix this? I sincerely hope I won't have to go to the Apple store because I don't even have one that I can get to nearby. :/

Please… Any help is appreciated, but remember it can't include iTunes. Please and thank you.

Also, if it helps to know:

I have tried plugging it into the charger with the charger base as well as into my computer. When I do this, my phone will buzz twice the way it always does when I charge it (or if the mute is off, it makes that little sound that it always does when you charge it). When it's plugged in and on, it'll make the sound or vibrate every few minutes. What does this mean? Is the love of my life dying?
Plus, in case it helps to know: when my phone is plugged into the charger, it turns back on when I turn it off. I don't know if that's a good sign or not. And you know that little red battery sign you get when you plug in a dead phone and it finally comes back to life a little bit? It did that once as well, but then went back to the logo. The battery life was fine when my phone started acting up, so I don't know what that means.

I appreciate anyone who can help! Sorry for the wall of text. This is incredibly important to me and I want to include all the details.

I don't really know how to fix it but by your wall of text i assume you are open to suggestions, try removing the battery itself and leaving it out for awhile. Also remove your sim card, put the sim card back in and than the battery back in, with it still turned off plug it into the charger, leave it on the charger for a good 5 minutes and than turn the phone on.

sorry if this didn't fix it.

Ty take it to a lab