You need a massage. But you're alone or there's no one who's willing to knead those sore spots and you don't want to pay upwards of $50 for a professional lomi lomi.

Not to worry.

There are lots of personal electronic massagers out there - from $3,000 chair models to $20 portable hand-held types, offering variation vibration, pinpoint massage or wave-like cycling pulse action and heat.

Panasonic holds the No. 1 position in the manufacture and sales of portable hand-held massagers.

The company's Reach Easy line - which will be available in the fall - offers four types of massaging: rolling action, raised nodes, point and soothing.

The EV 298, about $50. features the "reach easy angle" and a rolling massage action with a swivel head and a heat setting. The sea green roller glides and vibrates smoothly over the skin. The natural elbowed design allows for easier access to the lower, middle and upper back.

The EV 247W, about $40, not only provides heat but has a handle that extends to three positions, allowing even more ease to hard-to-reach places. The dual massaging head offers raised nodes and a soothing action is ideal for both broad areas and concentrated application.

All three Reach Easy models including the - EV 296, about $40 - feature Panasonic's "Motor-In-Head Design," which keeps the weight, balance and vibrating power in the massaging head for the most efficiency. The 296 and 298 are cordless, especially convenient.

For those who prefer pressure-point massage, there's Panasonic's top-of-the-line Accu-Tap massager, EV 279, about $100. The model features an angle adjustment on the head to reach those hard-to-get areas, preprogrammed five technique massaging courses, single-point tapping, multiple-point tapping, variable speed control and an attachment for wider area massaging and vibration.

Panasonic also has the more traditional-looking Relax-her EV 251 Rechargeable Massager, for under $30. The lightweight and compact design is geared for women and features two-speed operation, a large flat, flexible head and charger stand.

Sharper Image's personal massagers start at about $20 with the Pressure Activated Personal Massager that doesn't start vibrating until you press the hand-size device against your body. It's powered by two C batteries.

For those looking for Shiatsu relief, there's the Auto-Adjusting Shiatsu, $99. The 4-1/2-pound massager has two large handles on each side for easy maneuvering over the entire body. A real plus on this model is that you can set the slim massager with its counter-rotating nodes against a pillow and lean back on it for a neck massage. A switch reverses the nodes.

Then there's Sharper Image's Dual Control Personal Massager, about $50, that "turns your fingers into a pulsating massager" and allows skin-on-skin contact. This oscillating massager is worn on the hand and is connected to fingertip pulsators that transmit the pulsing action to the area being rubbed. There are dual controls for intensity and pulsation rate.

If hand-held types just don't do it for you, check out massage chairs. And get that credit card ready.

The Quad Roller Get-A-Way Chair, $2,795, (Sharper Image's most popular massager) features four-roller massaging system: two kneading/tapping nodes and two massaging rollers.

The two main spherical nodes massage the length of your back with a range of motions. Two additional fixed rollers accompany the main nodes, broadening the coverage and multiplying the massage action. The massage is controlled with a touch-sensitive control panel that attaches magnetically to the side of the chair when not in use.

Panasonic makes several types of Shiatsu Massage loungers, ranging in price from about $1,000 to $2,900.

The Great Escape ($2,600), which performs kneading, rolling and tapping massages, has preprogrammed or manual modes, and a built-in leg massager. Panasonic's Massage Lounger spine stretcher automatically moves up and down, rubbing the back from neck to waist.

Starting to feel better?