I have knee pain that hurts on the left side of my knee and also above my knee. i feel and hear a pop, symptoms then improve after time. any thoughts?

?cartilage: You may have a cartilage fragment that gets lodged and then moves to relieve the discomfort. An orthopedic surgeon is best to evaluate this symptom and he'll order an MRI if he feels it's needed.

Knee pain: Possible osteoarthritis. An x ray will be able to show this. If negative then a sprain or acl injury could be a consideration.

See a specialist.: See an orthopedic knee specialist. It could be the tracking of your kneecap, or something more serious, like a meniscal tear.

Get evaluated: Knee pain can have multiple causes including but not limited to trauma, infection, inflammation, and neoplasm. A thorough history and physical followed by diagnostic imaging can help get the answers and treatment you might need. Common conditions could be arthritis, meniscal pathology, and soft tissue injuries. Meniscal pathology is common and can cause some of the symptoms you are experiencing.