I've had some issues with chronic ulnar nerve inflammation for a few years. I went to see a specialist who gave me a few techniques to cool the infammation on the nerve. After initially injuring it about five years ago during a basketball game, his tips have worked for the most part. Every now and then I've got some numbness, but I haven't had any since trying these tips out.
According to the Doc:
1) Don't lean on your elbow.
2) Sleep with your arms straight or wrapped around something so your elbow is at an angle greater than 90 degrees.
3) When exercising, try to do neutral grip movements. If not, make sure you are smooth and controlled.
Hopefully that helps.